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This is so not cool. Pavitr tries to make himself leave. He should definitely leave. Instead, he stays frozen in the doorway, staring at his two friends as they stare at each other with expressions he is certain he's never seen them make. If not for the fact that his arrival hadn't triggered either of their spider senses, he would worry he wasn't even allowed to see them like this. Hobie sitting on the couch, Miles in their lap and facing them. They're smiling at each other like they're the only things in this world they can see and, since they haven't noticed him yet, Pav figures that's true on some level.
He shivers when Miles traces his fingers up Hobie's cheek to cup their face. He remembers the feeling of Gayatri doing the same thing before she… Miles kisses Hobie gently and they slide their arms around his waist, pulling him closer. Suddenly Pav wants Hobie to hold him like that, wants Miles to touch his face like that, wishes Gayatri was here to kiss him and calm some of the butterflies raging in his stomach. He had considered the possibility he was poly since the existence of the option was mentioned by Gwen. Gayatri wasn't even weirded out by it. But this is too much confirmation all at once. His face is getting hot and the butterflies are determined to fill every hollow of his body.
Miles sighs into the kiss and Pav's heart skips a beat. Hobie chuckles against Miles' lips and Pav is starting to worry the butterflies might choke him. Hobie pinches Mile's side, causing him to yelp and jerk back.
"Dude!" Miles complains.
Too cute. It's all too cute.
Miles finally notices him.
"Oh shit. Sorry, man," Miles says while trying to move off of Hobie's lap. He huffs in annoyance when they hold him in place.
"He's been over there watching us snog the whole time," Hobie's words cause all the heat to drain away into cold panic. Their smirk is unbearable. They had noticed and not said anything?? This was so not fair.
"Well that's kinda weird," Miles says and Pav really wishes he shared his ability to turn invisible. This is so embarrassing. He wants to cry. Hobie speaks again before he can swallow the lump in his throat to apologize.
"Nah, love. Hush with that," they lift and set Miles aside to where he had tried moving earlier. He rolls his eyes but allows himself to be placed. "Sorry for putting you on the spot, mate," they say, standing and walking to Pav who is feeling even more embarrassed now they both of them have apologized and he still hasn't said anything. "And sorry about him. Physically impossible for Miles to not be a little shit innit?"
"Hey, what!?"
Hobie is standing in front of him now and Pav really hopes it's not obvious how badly he's shaking. Oh no they can definitely see the tears he's holding back tho, and their unreadable, serious expression isn't helping with that battle.
"Hey, Pav," they say in their higher register, "You're alright, yeah? We're not mad at ya."
No one is mad. He nods then closes his eyes and takes a few deep breaths, repeating their words in his head. His friends are patiently silent as he works to calm himself.
"Sorry," he finally manages to say, "Sorry. Miles is right. It was rude." He bites his lip. That wasn't the word Miles had used and Hobie was still staring down at him with that serious look. What excuses could he even give that would make this better? "You were just…" You were just what?? Idiot! Now you have to say something! "So cute." He couldn't think of a lie fast enough and now the heat is returning to his face.
Hobie's expression shifts to a smirk and they raise an eyebrow. Pav would be relieved if he wasn't freaking out!
"Oh yeah?" they verbally poke and Pav just knows the question is a set up for an even bigger teasing than their expression and tone already were. And of course the asshole is waiting for him to reply before doing it. He loves his friend but why do they have to be like this?
"Yeah," he answers uncertainly. Their smirk opens into a grin and he's really wishing he could figure out how he fucked up that bad!
"So tell me," they start, tilting their had back and shoving their hands in their pockets. How?? How was it that bad!? "What is it that's got the multiverse's number one shipper so flustered about sayin' somethin like that?"
Oh… Oh no. Oh that was how. The heat is back in full force and his ears are burning. Hobie bends over laughing, probably at the horrified face he's making. Miles runs over to stand next to them before he speaks.
"Yeah, that is weird." That word again, but it sounds more concerned this time. "What's going on? You ok?" Pav can't think of any answers and he's worried Miles will ask more pressing questions but what Hobie asks is so much worse than anything he was wishing against.
"Do you want to kiss me?"
Pav glares. He hopes there's less of a pout to it, he's been practicing.
"Come on, bro! Don't you think this is taking the teasing too far?" He should have known Hobie couldn't stay serious for more than five minutes.
"I'm not teasing," their expression softens and they lean against the doorway, "We've been good friends for along time and I'd be lying if I said I hadn't ever noticed how attractive you are." The glare long lost and the butterflies rushing back, Pav turns quickly to look at the opposite side of the doorway where Miles is leaning. Is he ok with this??
"Don't look at me," Miles straightens his posture and holds his hands up defensively, "this is between you two."
"Do you want to kiss Miles?"
Pav's attention snaps back to Hobie and he curses himself for not catching any of Miles' reaction. The butterflies are threatening to choke him again. Hobie slides their hand around his waist to rest gently on his back, giving him plenty of time to reject them and making sure he doesn't feel trapped. They are both waiting, as patient as they always were when he needed them to be.
First he thinks of Gayatri. He knows she's fine with him seeing other people. He had checked and double checked so many times that she had threatened to start setting him up on blind dates.
Second he thinks of Gwen. But clearly neither Hobie or Miles were worried about her feelings right now and he knew for sure they would be if it was an issue.
He resists looking back to Miles. If he has a problem with what's happening, he had been allowed a lot of time to voice it.
That left Hobie, whos patient gaze is still searching him for any signs of body language. Whos cool confidence melts away into hopeful excitement as Pav's fingers gently glide across their face and cup their cheek. They lean down slightly so he can reach them easier. Were their eyes always this beautiful?
He pulls them into a gentle kiss and can't stop the sigh caused by finally getting some relief from the merciless butterflies. They surge back when Hobie's arms tighten around his waist, pulling him close, and flow away again into the feeling of their lips moving against his. No one besides Gayatri had ever made him feel this way before.
Hobie's wonderful kisses leave too soon and he grips their vest as they straighten away from him, desperate to keep them close. They look just as kiss dizzy as he's feeling so he isn't sure why they pulled away until he feels Miles' fingers pressing lightly against his cheek. He answers the silent request and turns to face him.
Miles is staring pointedly at his lips and the hand not still cupping his cheek slides around his waist. Hobie's arms loosen to allow Miles to pull him closer and he switches one of his hands' grip from vest to hoodie. Miles is the one to close the distance this time. His kiss is more tender than Pav was expecting and he wonders how much longer he can stand the flustered waves of emotion the two were pulling him through.
He pushes them both away and takes a step back.
"Could we just," he pauses a moment to figure out what he even wants to ask, "hold hands or something?" He can't look at either of them. The request feels so insignificant and silly, especially compared to what they had just been doing, to what he had debatably initiated.
"Yeah," Miles says, shifting gears faster than expected, "we were actually about to start a new show until someone got handsy." He crosses his arms and looks at Hobie accusingly.
"No idea what you're talkin about, love," they reply, taking one of Pav's hands into their own and lacing their fingers.
"Uh-huh…." Miles tilts his head and gaze to their hands like they're proof to his point. He laughs and kisses Hobie on the cheek before returning to the couch. When they follow, Pav allows himself to be lead along.
"How are you both so cute," he whispers to himself.