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“Dear Azul. Thank you so much for helping me pass my exam last week. I admire you soooo much and hope you enjoy these expensive chocolates I bought for you. Happy Valentine’s Day!!! Love–”
“What are you doing?” Azul asks, interrupting Floyd’s squeaky imitation of whatever schmuck decided to write those kiss-ass lines for Azul. Leaning over his shoulder, he peeks at the card in his hands and laughs. “Are you reading my cards? Shame on you, Floyd. Those are private, you know?”
“You can read mine if you want,” he says and gestures at the pile of cards of chocolates on the coffee table in front of him. “Didn’t wanna look at any of ‘em anyway.”
“Oh you heartbreaker.”
Floyd grins and lounges back on the couch as Azul sits down beside him, his sleeves rolled up and collar loose after finishing all the paperwork for Mostro Lounge. They had decided to close early as a treat for the employees and Floyd had taken full advantage of it, following Azul into the VIP room and affectionately making himself a nuisance to him.
After all, isn’t that what Valentine’s is all about?
“Heh, stop acting like you ain’t gonna just chuck all those gifts you got first thing in the morning.”
“Of course not.” Azul smirks. “I’m going to repackage those chocolates and sell them at a discounted price tomorrow as an after Valentine’s day sale!”
Floyd laughs, delighted, because of course he’d find a way to capitalize on this. He expected nothing less of him. “Wow, I almost feel bad for the suckers pining after you.”
“Don’t be. Most of them are probably just trying to get on my good side,” Azul says as he grabs the box of chocolates Floyd had given him earlier and sets it on his lap. “The attention is flattering though.”
He watches as Azul pops an octopus-shaped chocolate into his mouth, handmade by Floyd himself after weeks of trial and error, and smiles at the little noise of content he makes. He hasn’t eaten any of the other chocolates he got from his admirers or their friends and it fills Floyd with a deep sense of satisfaction.
He doubts anyone can top his cute tako-shaped chocolates anyway.
Azul leans against his shoulder as he grabs another card, humming curiously. “That one looks nice.”
Nice is an understatement. The card’s all decked out in fancy borders and cursive writing, a definite step up from the generic store-bought ones in Azul’s pile. It’s even floral-scented. Floyd sneers.
“My dearest Azul,” he reads, putting on the most pompous, annoying voice he can muster, “ mere words aren’t enough to describe your otherworldly charm. your silky tresses, your shimmering blue orbs–”
Azul makes a choked noise and Floyd bursts out laughing.
“Did he just say–”
“And your voice is like sweet ambrosia to the ears–”
“Floyd, please stop.”
“As a student of Pomefiore, I am always surrounded by beauty, but none can compare to yours. I sincerely hope you return my feelings and will be awaiting your response.”
“Are you done yet?” Azul asks wryly and Floyd nods, beaming. “Oh dear, that was…a lot.”
“You think he used a thesaurus to help him out?”
“Floyd,” Azul says in warning but he can see the beginnings of a smile curving his lips, “don’t make fun of the poor soul. He just wanted to convey his feelings to the best of his ability. I can’t fault him for that.”
“Bet I can do better though.”
“Oh really?” That smile curls into a smirk. “Let’s hear it then.”
Ohhh, challenge accepted.
“Azul…” he laces their fingers together, looking deep into his eyes, “I like you.”
Azul bows his head, bashful, and Floyd’s heart flutters a bit at how cute he looks like this, always so shy whenever he becomes more direct with his affections. He continues, more motivated.
“I like your cute smile when you eat something yummy. I like your laugh when you manage to trick guys into doing what you want. I like your pretty eyes, your face, and the way your body fits perfectly in my arms. I like everything about you, Azul.” He then lowers his voice, a touch more genuine when he says, “There’s no one else I would have followed here except you.”
A moment of silence passes between them and Azul stares at him, eyes wide. “Floyd…”
Seeing his reaction, he couldn’t help but blush and look away. Ahh, that was too cheesy, wasn’t it? He meant to just act cute but the words flew out of his mouth without him even thinking about it. They were all true of course, he wasn’t as good as Azul or Jade at mincing words, but…
Shaking his head, he smiles and brings their joined hands up to press a kiss onto Azul’s knuckles.
Guess love just makes you do stupid things, huh.
“Alright, I admit,” Azul says, “that was good.”
Floyd laughs. “See? Told ya I can do better. You don’t need all those flowery words to show how much you like someone.”
“True, what’s important is having a sincere delivery.”
“Something you need to work on.”
“Oh hush, if I recall correctly, you looked over the moon when I gave you my handmade chocolates.”
“Eh, maybe if you feed them to me I’ll reconsider.”
“Insatiable,” Azul mutters fondly as Floyd opens his mouth wide.
They end up finishing each other’s chocolates and while Azul bemoans the effect the extra sugar will have on his physique, Floyd’s just excited to see Azul enjoying himself eating to care.
When Azul enters his bedroom later that evening, he finds an ornate box of chocolates on his bed, along with a bouquet of white and purple roses tied together by a turquoise ribbon.
Surprised, he gets closer and picks up the note card next to it.
My dearest Azul,
Please forgive me for not being able to give you these gifts myself. I’m afraid if I did, I would not have been strong enough to withstand the beauty of your smile and the gentle joy softening your sharp features. I do hope you enjoy the chocolates I made for you and tell me your thoughts tomorrow.
Forever yours,
Jade
Tomorrow? Does Jade really expect him to wait until tomorrow to give his response?
Taking his phone out, he shoots a quick text to Floyd and heads over to his bathroom to freshen up. Jade wasn’t going to escape him that easily.
“Hey Jade, can you go get me some snacks from the kitchen?”
Jade looks up from where he was tending to his terrarium and frowns. “Again? I know you still have some stashed away under your bed.”
“But I want the ones in the kitchen,” Floyd whines. “You know, the shrimp-flavored ones?”
Jade sighs. “Fine. Perhaps I’ll get something for myself too.”
“Thanks, Jade~”
Getting up from his desk, he makes his way towards the communal kitchen, where Floyd keeps an extra stash of snacks hidden in the higher cupboards so that few can reach them. As he grabs the bag of chips, his mind wanders to Azul and the gifts he left him earlier.
He hopes he won't be too mad come morning. Despite the ease in which he teases Azul with flowery words and playful touches, there was something more intimate about this gesture that left him frozen outside the VIP room earlier, unable to muster the courage to go in and lay his heartfelt affections bare for Azul to accept.
For what else could his gifts convey other than his own complete devotion and loyalty to him? Anyone who took one look at his handmade chocolates and carefully picked flowers would know about his feelings.
He shakes his head, lamenting his own foolishness. He must be overthinking this.
“Late night cravings?” A voice calls out from behind him, their clarion footsteps sending his heart leaping out of his chest. “Or did Floyd send you out on another snack run?”
Jade turns around to see Azul approaching him with a box of chocolates in his hands, smiling deviously. Something clicks inside his head.
“For shame, Azul,” he says, though he’s more amused than anything. “Using my own brother against me?”
“All’s fair in love and war,” Azul quips cheerily. “Besides, I never got a chance to give you my chocolates, or thank you for the ones you gave me.”
“Oh there’s no need–”
“Nonsense,” he interrupts. “What kind of lover would I be if I didn’t reciprocate in some way?”
He opens the box and Jade watches as he takes a piece of chocolate out and holds it up to his lips.
“Here,” he smiles and Jade blushes up to his ears, “say ahh~”
Embarrassed but unable to refuse Azul, Jade opens his mouth and lets Azul feed him the chocolate. It’s rich in taste, smoothy and creamy on his tongue. Bittersweet.
“So?” Azul asks. “How does it taste?”
Jade takes a moment to respond. “Good.”
“Good?”
“Mm.” He then leans down and kisses him, making a show of licking his lips afterwards as their gazes lock. “But I like the taste of your lips on mine better.”
Azul’s composure cracks and Jade laughs at the familiar look of annoyed embarrassment painting his features. He already forgot what had made him so nervous in the first place.
“You’re insufferable,” he mutters, bumping his head against Jade’s chest to hide his face. “Remind me why I like you again?”
“Who knows?” Jade leans against the counter behind him and pats Azul’s head softly, so so fond for the boy in his arms. “But I’m glad you do.”
They stay there, basking in each other’s presence, and Jade can feel so many words bubbling up his throat, the confession right on the tip of his tongue, but he stops. He could tell him at another time.
So for now, he lets himself enjoy this moment with Azul, happy that he at least got some time alone with him before the day ended.
“Happy Valentine’s Day, Jade.”
“Sleep well, Azul.”