Work Text:
“Is the weather nice over there?”
The voice coming from your phone wasn’t as clear as it was before. Probably because you knew the set up away from the phone you were currently calling them from was extensive. They probably had a two thousand dollar microphone, for all you knew. Or maybe they didn’t. Nonetheless, it was odd.
Odd not to see that mask on your screen, to hold your phone to your ear, to just hear and not see. One sight you had gotten so accustomed to over a few days suddenly taken away. Not that it was bad. Not that you weren’t glad you had their number. You were very glad, but also worried. For how long would you have their number? What if they never called again? Or if they never answered again?
You craned your head out to look at the window. It pouring rain outside. Resuming your previous stature, you answered their question. “Pouring. Raining cats and dogs, one could say.”
A soft breath of a laugh could be heard from your phone, filling your ear. You wished you could hear it at least once more. “April showers bring May flowers?” The suave, smooth (yet low quality) voice responded to you.
“It is already May,” you replied in answer again. “Are we playing 20 questions? When is it my turn?”
“You just got your turn. And you asked two in a row, like I did. So it’s my turn again.” Odxny sounded like they were smiling. What a jerk. A fool. A fool you couldn’t help but hold close. “What’s so bad about the rain?”
You wanted to ignore them. But you realized this might just be the last time you happen to hear them — might as well keep them on the line. “It makes it harder to drive. Sky gets all dark. Lightning, wind, thunder… loud stuff, honking cars, flooded basements.”
“Sounds like you need a better basement.”
“Sounds like you’re assuming I own a place where I can just have a basement.” You wanted to roll your eyes so hard.
They were definitely still smiling. The tone they spoke out after was more curious, but tinged with some sort of playfulness.“Sounds like you’re insinuating you had a basement but you don’t anymore.”
You shut them down, “Sounds like you’re assuming, again.”
A sharp inhale then a tut rung out of your phone and into your ear. Like a scolding parent. They definitely shook their head and everything. “Where do you live, then?”
“You already know. Everyone was able to doxx me the second I got here, or do you forget that?”
“Smart, smart. I remember, just making sure you remember too. You should really fix that, by the way.”
“How else will you come over then?” Your hand immediately flew to cover your mouth afterwards, regretting the words that came out of your mouth. Always taking risks, it seemed. Risking your privacy once more by inviting someone who somehow had access to IRS intel and data into your home. Into your life.
That breath of a laugh once more, this time more strained. More forced, or even sad. Sounding upset, they spoke, “I won’t be doing that.”
You expected that answer, but all the meanwhile, it made your heart sink. Did this mean goodbye? Or did they just not like you as much as you thought? Maybe, just maybe, they didn’t trust you. Since you had been so unsafe with your address before, with almost all of your information. Trust was always important. It was the foundation for any relationship.
You swallowed your saliva, hesitantly asking, “Are you leaving, then? Actually?”
There was a silence. It felt like it stretched on for more than the few seconds. Like eternity — the eternity they’d be gone. The eternity you wish you had to find them again after that fact.
They cleared their voice, ensuring the clarity of their next words. “I’ve thought about it. Why do you want to know?” Odxny paused to inhale before continuing, “You must like me. Or something similar.”
Immediately, you took defence to your poor ego being tested. “I don’t like you. Not in the way you could theorize. I care about you. I don’t want you to leave.”
“So how would you want me?” That suave, sly and teasing tone returned. “At your place, hmm? You wouldn’t have asked if you didn’t want me there. I think you like me.”
How would you want them? How could a simple few words make your brain spiral? Thoughts of mornings with them, maybe even silly mundane tasks done by their side. Taxes, budgeting, laundry, 401k payments, putting on deodorant even, or perhaps testing the spices for adjustment in a meal… stupid, silly things you wouldn’t have ever imagined doing next to someone.
“Stop assuming,” you murmured back, unable to think of anything else in response. Being witty hasn’t saved you so far, why try more? No need to dig yourself deeper into this mess.
The anguish of confessed feelings perhaps being unrequited lingered within the pit of your stomach. The anxiety bubbled and gnawed, unable to be quelled. The rain pattering on the window sounded how your stomach felt. This was even more anxiety inducing than those drop water slides, yet all so similar — you didn’t know when something would happen. And you had to wait. Or you had to speak up again. However, words caught in your mind and your throat.
Odxny laughed, this time a full one, not just a breath. It was refreshing, snapping you back to the real world. “Well, I’d say you oughta start confessing, then. Don’t leave me only to assume. Tell me how it is.”
At this point, you were certain of two things. One, lying would make you look so unbelievably foolish. Two, this was how you died — of absolute embarrassment, like some sim in Sims 4. How did you tell them? How to explain to them that yes, you may be a little bit too infatuated to call it just infatuation anymore? Should you just take the low road?
Low road it was, that road being forcing out a, “Yes,” as response.
“Yes to what?” An immediate response, of course. They were waiting.
What a fucking asshole. If they decided to come over now… you’d lock them out in the rain. Teach them a lesson. A lesson in… something. You didn’t know. Nor did you think you could keep them out there. But on the other hand, you’d let them stay out, catch a cold, then you could nurse them back to health… no, no. They were teasing you right now. Trying to get you to confess, to get you to admit it.
You had to think back as to what they even said, before you essentially just reiterated their statement. “I want you at my place,” you got out, with bated breath for their response.
“Why, though? Is there reason behind it?” They challenged, wanting to hear you say it and you knew. You knew it would lead to something, to some sort of emotional vulnerability.
Carefully, and after a sigh, you answered, “Because I care for you. And I worry for you, so… I want to make sure you’re safe.”
More silence. If this was a game of ghost town, you both would certainly win. You could hear a few taps and rustles from Odxny’s side of things before they let out a hum. “Perfect, because a few days ago I may have told my landlord I wouldn’t be signing the lease next term and I just booked a plane ticket to your city.”
“Excuse me?” Your jaw dropped at their words. Were they all packed, too? Ready to literally move out? Would they have been homeless if not for what you said? Maybe taking this low road was truly the right road after all.
“You heard me right. I’m coming over since you seem pretty sure. Though, we may have to work on you keeping anyone safe, such as yourself.” They were poking fun at the same thing as before.
You looked out the window, “You won’t be able to come any time soon. Still bad weather, for at least a day or more.”
“I can wait,” they spoke, voice a lot more calm now. “For now, how about I help you get a solid VPN and a security system set up? If I’m sticking with you, I want you safe too.”