Work Text:
Ink tinkers with a small mechanical frog, checking the springs, testing the screws, and such. It wasn't quite jumping when he released it. It would more likely stumble forward before twisting itself off its feet.
"I don't know, Blue," Ink says, eye lights flicking between orange and green shapes. "Is that how it works?"
"I WOULD HOPE SO," Blue says. "WE COMPLETED EVERY ACTIVITY IN THE DATING MANUAL, AFTER ALL."
Ink looks up at that, a wide smirk on his face. "Really?" He says with mirth. "Everything?"
Blue nods enthusiastically. "EVERYTHING AND THEN SOME, MY ARTISTIC FRIEND!!"
"Wow." Ink twists something a bit too tight, and the entire device pops in his hand. He curses, reaching over to the book his father had let him borrow. As he flips through the pages, he says, "Then what's the problem, again?"
Blue sighs dramatically, fainting over the arm of the loveseat. "HE HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT SWEET AND GENTLE!!! I WANT TO RETURN THE FAVOR, OF COURSE, BUT I HAD BEEN UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT HE MIGHT SEE ME AS... I- I DON'T KNOW..."
Ink hums. "As 'hot' instead of just 'cute'?"
"YES!" Blue exclaims. "THAT! I AM AWARE THAT MOST SEE ME AS CHILDISH AND IMMATURE, BUT THIS IS NOT THE CASE! I AM, IN FACT, VERY MUCH GROWN."
Ink snorts. "I know, Blue."
"YOU WOULD!"
Ink hums again, absentminded as he bites his tongue for a moment while he skims over the section in front of him, trying to piece together how to fix his mistake.
"I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH MORE DIRECT I CAN BE," Blue says with a huff. "I HAVE OFFERED TO BE HIS PARTNER IN EVERY WAY! IN CRIME, IN PROJECT, HAND IN HAND-"
"That doesn't sound direct," Ink mumbles.
Blue sits up. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN?"
Ink clicks his tongue, putting down his book and moving to take apart his frog again. "I mean that Lust probably thinks you're being rhetorical, or poetic. Have you tried just... you know. Saying, 'Hey, Lust! I'm horny. Let's have sex!'"
A drop of sweat appears on Blue's forehead, his cheeks dusting in his signature color.
"THAT WOULD BE CRUDE," Blue says defensively. "AND—AND TACTLESS. IF I SAY IT LIKE THAT HE WOULD REJECT ME IMMEDIATELY."
"Can't say it's not direct, though."
Blue thinks on that for a moment. Ink takes the lapse in conversation to focus back in on his small frog, trying to be extra careful about its disassembly.
The screws. The springs. The metal plate. The plastic shell. He lines up every piece rather methodically, separating the two broken ones. He picks them up, squinting at their shape and function. He plucks Broomie off of his back, expecting her to shrink down to size. It listens to his idle command until it is no bigger than a detail brush in his fingers. He uses Broomie to bring a replacement for each broken bit into reality.
That done, he replaces her on his back, and Broomie blooms back to full size. Ink remembers with a jolt that Blue was still in the room, likely looking for a response. Or wisdom, of some sort.
"Uh. Also, Lust wouldn't be with you if he wasn't at least a little bit into you. Definitely wouldn't complete the entire dating manual just to give you a peck on the cheek and leave."
Blue shrugs. "MAYBE HE WAS JUST GOING ALONG WITH IT BECAUSE HE FOUND IT SILLY."
Ink looks at blue with a confused tilt to his skull. "That's stupid."
Blue crosses his arms with a pout. "I DON'T KNOW! BECAUSE HE DEFINITELY DID THAT!!"
Ink gasps. "Wait, really??"
Blue nods again. "YES!!! THAT IS AS FAR AS WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GO!!! WE HOLD HANDS, CUDDLE, SMOOCH ON THE FACE- BUT EVERY TIME I INVITE HIM INTO MY ROOM, HE LAUGHS LIKE I SAID SOMETHING REALLY FUNNY."
The metaphorical gears in Ink's head spin as he tries to find the answer to this little puzzle.
He hums. "Hm... does he get all blushy and nervous?"
Blue pouts, trying to piece together his own memories. "I... I GUESS YOU COULD CALL IT THAT? HE DOES TEND TO BLUSH A LOT, THOUGH." His blue blush brightens as he adds, "I LIKE IT WHEN HE DOES THAT."
"Bet you wanna see him whimpering, too," Ink says cheekily.
"YES!!!" Blue says emphatically. "YOU UNDERSTAND ME."
Ink rolls his eyes, sitting back on his legs to give Blue his full attention.
"I don't get it, baby Blue," Ink says. "Why are you so afraid? You don't usually beat around the bush."
"I... I'm Not..."
Ink shakes his head. "You are. You've never had trouble just outright asking for what you want before."
Blue's blush deepens, and he ducks his chin down, fidgeting with his hands. His usual loud, boisterous voice is quiet as he says, "I... really like him."
Ink laughs. "Ouch. Does that mean you never liked me? Because if I remember correctly - granted, that in itself is a reach - you were pretty fucking vocal."
Blue frowns. "NO! I REALLY LIKED YOU, TOO. I WOULD NEVER LIE ABOUT THAT!!! It Is- It's Just That... I really REALLY like him..."
Ink looks at Blue with a softer expression. His smile is small and fond, his eye lights pink and blue.
"Yeah," Ink says gently. He blinks. "And you don't want to scare him away."
Blue nods.
Ink shrugs. "Well. I don't think you're doing yourself any favors, honestly. You're a great guy, Blue, but it's on you to be your true self. Lust can't read your mind, and you're both trying to feel out the other's boundaries. So. Just tell him how you feel."
Blue sighs, rubbing his hands over his face before finally giving Ink soft pout.
"THANKS," Blue says. "I THINK YOU'VE GOTTEN BETTER AT THE ADVICE THING."
Ink cackles. "Thank you! Now tell that to Dream."
He cracks his knuckles, relieving the pressure of unpopped magic before diving back into his current project. Blue watches over his shoulder, not quite picking up on the details as he considers his next encounter with Lust.
Ink fiddles with it, sure to be more careful when he puts it together. Good thing he took it apart, too—he had completely misaligned two pieces, which probably hadn't helped to keep it together.
One last click. Ink picks it up and looks over it this way and that before finally setting it down and activating it.
It leaps! Once, twice- and then again, this time flipping midair. Ink squeals in delight, pumping his fists in triumph. Blue startles at the sudden joy, but he's quick to join in once he realizes what's been done.
"WOWZERS!" Blue cheers, "LOOK AT IT GO! WELL DONE, INK!"
Ink laughs, his eye lights flashing orange and yellow, red and green, pink and teal. He gags.
Blue, accustomed to everything Ink had to offer, doesn't react. He's just happy to see his best friend so excited.
He wonders what Lust looks like when he's excited, like this. Blue feels himself growing rather giddy at the prospect. He's really looking forward to his date tonight.