Chapter Text
"For a businessman, you're quite a romantic,"
It was one of the first things he said, his voice weakened, the statement a little sarcastic and playful to lighten up the mood, it had come off a little condescending despite them just having come from dinner, and getting caught in the rain and saying I love you's with such ease. Something he had not regretted but maybe dreamed for better timing preferably than rushing in, but he didn't know if this was the pace normal couples go through, he just yearned possibly he too would be looked at with that level of adoration every time.
"For my employee, you're quite demanding," the ladder had chuckled, his voice slightly strained from the laughing with his posh accent at his previous comment, the smile on his face still weak of puppy love, something he deemed he couldn't have been qualified to be seen as. A fragile fulfillment had panged his heart that he had received the statements behind what had squeaked insulting. Before the message had hit him thoroughly, coughing and sputtering lightheartedly as he rolled onto his side of the seat, performing dramatically as if he offended him, how dare he! He's not dramatic, if anything he's the opposite!
"Me? Demanding? I beg to differ, Doctor," as he rested there, facing the man who just sat next to him, the car slightly warming up due to the heater being turned on. A godsend that slowly decayed the frigid water that dampened on them not too long ago.
Play-full arguing between the two started to commence, the domestic spectacle was filling the air as a smooth fragrance as if it was no other than another night; playing around as if they had known each other for years. Something that had soothed the formerly deprecating thought that had passed the mind of the brunette.
"You? Beg? I mean who could've ever guessed? Bryan Divil, begging me?" That hypocrite, behaving and acting as if he wasn't the one whining and pleading for Bryan to get out of the rain, yet had joined him not too long after.
It had struck Bryan with a sense of annoyance and a familiar presence, it left Bryan trying to fill in his justification and testimony as the other one had smugly smirked with a level of entitlement, tenderness, and having the last laugh. It all the more made Bryan hesitate with the guilt of the previous aggressiveness but fueled him with jokingly bitterness.
"Pfffttttt, as if! You act like you weren't whining to me to get out of the rain!" As he pointed one of his fingers up to the shoulder of the man driving them to a location where they can get cleaned up. Which location? He had an idea but wasn't entirely sure about it
The other hand holding up most of the blanket wrapped around him, he slightly shivered from a small wind of the ac that had hit him. As he accused the other of more embarrassment, pride had washed over his embarkation and shame as the other grew a little pinker from the burden of knowing he had implored Bryan to get out of the rain for him, until they both got drenched by sudden heavy rainfall. Giving rise to him swelling in even more gratification of him having the final word.
"You were the one begging me to go in the rain! As if we weren't going to get soaked and sick over it," They had started to become louder, as much as they could after hours of what had seemed to strain their vocal cords. The friendly fire between the two had erupted, as a sense of jesting and teasing had become a competition in this arena, hitting this audience with a new awareness of tone significance. It was becoming a laughing tournament between dramatically shouting to heighten this new contest or just to taunt one another, romantic undertones were still creeping up as their cheeks filled with red embarrassment and laughter.
As they started to get closer to each other's hit zone with every new count of humiliation and accusations folding the air, it was until they both had arrived at Vendi's house, perhaps since it was the closest to their location from the dinner, it was a delightful place too, the elegance of it all had captured him. The large ceilings and small tables for couples had hit romantic, it had made him all the more sentimental.
Soon, they had taken off their seatbelts and got out of the car, the rain still descending relatively rapidly, his jacket of his scarcely holding up as they had both ran into the porch of the large house to not get even more drenched, the light between the two was still light, nostalgic and affectionate. The shoes left on the porch to not dirty the house inside with its muddy exterior
As they stepped into the house, exhausted and cold, but all the more happy as they had walked across the hallways, before Vendi had plopped onto his bed, an action he wouldn't have performed had never encountered Bryan, litigation he would've loathed and regarded unhygienic or filthy.
Bryan wasn't entirely opposed to that as he had plopped down following the man on the moderately messy sheets, glimpsing as if he had left the bed hurriedly this morning. Laughter still flickering on their tongues, as the smiles had been plastered on their faces.
The more fragrance of this familial domestic emotion retained hold of them in chains, giving the sudden action and idea of Vendi attacking and ambushing Bryan, blowing raspberries into his tan and sweaty neck as the other giggled in retaliation. The tickling sensation brought the brunette to slight abdominal pain as laughter flooded out of him, a few giggles and snorting had accompanied these commotions, as he attempted and struggled to get the man on top to stop despite how pleasant this all was.
As they had come to a stop, with Vendi finalizing his fight in Bryan's neck, they had realized this tiredness that finally swayed them to rinse off this endeavor they had brought upon themselves. The chilliness had attacked them as they had trudged off the warm blankets, they would have to reinstate and substitute for cleaner ones, as they both had helped each other off the mattress, Bryan more than Vendi, as Vendi enlightened, earning him a weak but amused smile, strolling off to get some towels with the assistance of the vague directions bestowed to him by the businessman.
They had concluded to pause for the warmth of the shower to fill up the room with steam when the brunette had returned from the small journey and pursuit of towels, before gently plopping them on the seat of the toilet as he waited for the water to warm, an insignificant boredness had categorized in line as the pale man included kissing him with a smile on his forehead as he instructed the man to take a shower before him as he displaced the messy and filthy sheets for a clean pair.
As he stationed his hand for the perception of temperature he deemed sufficient for a shower, he couldn't help but look back upon this night, the perception and awareness they amassed a display of vulnerability he had never discovered or caught a glimpse of between anyone, something conveying him this display despite the years of the contrary in this corporation.
It was a gentle notion that couldn't enable but interpret as witnessing a galaxy, and being fascinated, that such a level of beauty and mystery was factual. That if the stars truly shined tonight, and the constellation they've composed like a harmony of their longing together would be remembered, if other couples would too sit by this particular evening or day and give remembrance to this inscription, to this feeling that restored their compassion.
He didn't understand he was amounting to his duration in the shower, before a small rapid knock had echoed, a fresh question formed by the man behind the door, asking if he was alright and if he was nearly finished with the shower, had surprised him in a mundane way.
The minor withdrawal from reality had set him off in a small panic if he had thoroughly cleaned and rubbed off the dirt, or rainwater that adhered to his skin just a few minutes ago. He was pristine in an unexpected way, had he tidied himself up when he was in a derealization?
It had all but struck him as an entirety or nailed in his head as he stepped out of the shower, a question popping up if he should maintain the water running or turn it off. He had decided to shut it off, as he put a towel over his chest, leaving water to trickle gradually under the showerhead, before stopping entirely, a small thing to not rack up the water bill.
As he strolled out of the humid and steamed-filled bathroom, on the newly replaced sheets was a pair of clothes given to him for the morning despite no discussion delivered to finalize he was certainly remaining the rest of the day. Next to the bedside, was a tray: with a beaker of water sided with a cup, a small meal with a side of fruit, and a Tylenol bottle in case of headaches. He had speculated it had been due to him being able to get sick after being exposed to the downpour for so long.
As he got clothed and dressed, difficult considering he was eating halfway through, and his newly combed hair had not been dried, sticking to his skin wetly that had made it difficult to fit in his shirt without getting it entirely soaking until a minor tug and it was through. As he was patting his hair dry, he heard an insignificant creak and isolated footsteps enter his vicinity, before the door of the bedroom had been opened and closed.
Vendi was around halfway clothed, his shirt nowhere to be seen as he had stepped around Bryan, putting a hand on his waist to not fully unsettle him, towards the plate and munched on a slice of mango,
"I didn't realize I was staying Doctor, " Bryan had said, it wasn't supposed to be sardonic or rude, he was slightly distracted about the clothes provided to him, the hospitality as the sun is gradually descending, departing as a hardly discernible pink had emerged above as noon is settling in.
The hum of acknowledgment was there as Vendi silently ate his fruit, as he slightly stood next to the man, before taking his hand, and brushing the top with his lips, influencing a fragile tingling sensation. Before letting go of it, and stepping closer to Bryan, before bringing a few strands of hair and wielding it closely, and what transpires as dearly to his lips. Being a creep and smelling his coffee like shampoo on the hair of the man he had loved so desperately in the rain a few minutes ago.
"Ah, yes. I didn't know if you were either, it was something to substitute, your former clothes appeared dirty, didn't want you to get sick from sleeping in them. Nonetheless, I'll see you the following day," He had overlooked and forgotten about the meeting, the supposed day he was officially taking the Mall as his own as the paperwork entails what could be a new chapter for them, either singular or jointly.
"I didn't recall if you expected me to, possibly sleep over, in what Gregory had told me." Bryan had said, the memory of Bryan settling Gregory into a nap, as he had instructed him to not open for anyone, as they all had keys for the door. To lounge someplace and just do whatever he wishes for the day, as he had the house to himself.
"Your son isn't entirely incorrect, I presume he knows you're here," he does know he's with someone, Vendi? He had an indication but he didn't exclusively know if he was at a meeting or on a date with the CEO, he was bombarded with questions when he started to leave, but none of them he answered. He just nodded in acceptance, some aching appearing from his heart as he thought about the little kid who was shy and anxiety-ridden about anything relating to socialization
"Yes, he has a clue on where and who I'm with, however, he might have a bit more of an answer considering the gift you had given me," the small smile on his face had bloomed into what had been a familiar sentiment, restoring him.
It was before the doctor had gland at his arms, befuddled on what prize he had offered him before being surprised by the rose that he had gifted the man during the water parade that had still prospered with him.
The pink in his cheeks from laughing had returned, yet there was no laughing, a sputtering and coughing had prevailed out of the once confident man; a recurring melody whenever Bryan was around.