Chapter Text
As it turns out, Mythic Quest company Halloween parties kind of suck. They're partially organised by Poppy, so that makes sense, but David is still disappointed. He gets out of there pretty fast after seeing a few too many people not in costumes.
Brad is on the roof, as David guessed he'd be. He's looking out over the skyline holding a plastic cup in one hand and a cigarette in the other. David walks over to stand next to him, and Brad doesn't react.
"I, uh. I didn't know you smoked," David says hesitantly, glancing at Brad's blank expression.
"I don't."
"Huh."
"Yeah, it's just... given the circumstances."
"What, you not a fan of Halloween?"
"Hah. I wish that was it." Brad takes a drag off his cigarette.
"What is it?"
"...It's nothing, really."
"Oh, come on, you can't just say that and not tell me the rest!"
"Okay. Jesus. It's, uh... it's my brother."
"Zack?" David asks, eyebrows knitting in concern. Even if he doesn't know the full story, he at least knows how Brad feels about his brother.
"Yup. He called me earlier, and I've been in a kind of shitty mood since."
"Oh... What did he say?"
"It, uh. It doesn't really matter. He's just a dick in general, so I don't want to talk to him."
"Why'd he call you?"
"Cause it's my birthday," Brad says as he takes another drag on his cigarette.
"Oh, happy birthd- wait a second, wasn't your birthday months ago? May 21st, right?"
"That's not- wait, you remembered my birthday?"
"Yeah, I keep track of everyone's!" David smiles.
"That is so lame. Anyway, that's not my birthday, today is. The birthday thing was just a cover-up for Zack to- ugh, never mind. He called me to wish me happy birthday, and it put me in a bad mood. That's why I'm smoking."
David looks at him, brows furrowed. "You know, I don't get why you hate your brother so much. I would have loved a brother growing up!"
"Trust me, David, you don't want a brother like Zack. He made the first eighteen years of my life a living hell. I moved out the day I became an adult and never looked back."
"Hm. Yeah, I guess that's fair. It's just that... I don't know, it's hard to imagine you of all people getting bossed around and treated like garbage. You're... you know, you're Brad!"
"What's that supposed to mean?" Brad chuckles. He shouldn't be humouring David like this but he's always less of himself when he drinks. It's his fatal flaw, probably.
"You're all... cool, and calculating, and you can wrap people around your little finger. I mean, I bet you didn't get bullied in middle school."
"Are you serious? I was a chubby gay Indian kid with acne, middle school was like gulag for me."
"Hrm, I guess- wait, you're gay?"
"Uh huh."
"Oh! That's- I mean, that's cool! That's great! Good for you! I'm an ally, so you, uh, you don't have to worry."
"I wasn't worried, D-Train."
"Yeah, uh. I think everyone's a little gay."
"I- What?"
"You know, we all have feelings for the same gender sometimes, so I don't get why people get all up in arms about other people's sexual orientations."
"Uhh... yeah. Right."
A quiet, awkward moment passes, then David clears his throat and breaks the silence.
"Whatcha drinking?"
"Pre-spiked punch. No, i'm serious," Brad says when David laughs, "Ian came over to me before the party and said 'This punch is pre-spiked, we're all gonna get fucked up!' ...It's actually really good, wanna try it?"
"Oh, sure!"
Brad passes the cup to David, and in doing so looks at him for the first time they've been talking. Brad blinks, taken aback.
"David, are you dressed as a fuckin' vampire?"
"Do you like it? I vant to suck your blood!" David says in a dumb voice, which gets a chuckle out of Brad.
"I kind of forgot it was Halloween."
"Aw, is that why you didn't dress up?"
"No, I didn't dress up because I'm not a child," Brad snickers.
"You're such a sourpuss."
"Well, you're just a puss."
"That's not nice."
"Have you ever spoken to me?"
"Well, now I'm wishing I hadn't!" David laughs, and Brad laughs too. As he does, David realises he's never heard Brad laugh. The fuzzy feeling he gets in his chest when he thinks about how he made Brad laugh is something he'll unpack later, but for now they're laughing and sharing a cup of pre-spiked punch.
"Oh, yeah, Brad?"
"Hm?" Brad is, surprisingly, still smiling.
"Happy birthday."
"Thanks, D-Man."
David gets a sudden rush of courage, and he does something impulsive. He says, "Brad, I, uh... can I tell you something?"
He's got Brad's attention now, big dark eyes looking into his, reflecting the lights of the city. David's palms have mysteriously become really sweaty.
"Yeah?" Brad has really nice hair. David never thought about it before, but it's so... pretty and dark and shiny. David clears his throat.
"You're, uh... you're kind of one of my favorite people here. No, actually, you are my favourite. I know, it's stupid, I shouldn't even have favorite people, that's not professional, but... you are."
Brad blinks, appearing to process this information. He says "Um," and a moment that lasts for eternity passes by. Then, he kisses David.
David freezes.
Then he kisses back.
There's ringing in his ears, and he's freezing and burning at the same time, and his heart is beating at a snail's pace and a million miles a minute. Brad's lips are soft and his hand brushes David's cheek and David wishes he could freeze this moment forever.
Then Brad pulls away, and his face is troubled, and he stumbles back. "Fuck. I, uh. I have to go. I'm sorry, Dave, that..."
He turns and disappears back into the building, leaving David alone on the roof. David looks at the space where Brad was standing a minute ago, and he realises he's still holding the now-empty plastic cup.
He tosses it over the edge.