Archive of Our Own

Wiping the sweat off his brow, Q let out a deep sigh, closing his eyes to allow them a moment’s rest. Staring at a screen for hours at a time was a nightmare for his vision, it was a wonder he didn’t need to wear glasses yet. 

He couldn’t say the same for Toey, who was typing away at the computer beside him. His eyesight was terrible, as evidenced by the delicate glasses perched on the bridge of his nose at all times. Q had never seen him without them, despite having shared a desk with him for nearly a year now. 

Toey was a sight for sore eyes, much more pleasant to look at than the bright lights of a computer screen. Q found himself gazing at his desk partner often these days, though he wasn’t sure why. He supposed Toey was just the most interesting thing to look at, a break in the monotony of words on a screen.

Toey abruptly stopped his melodic typing, turning to meet Q’s gaze. His lips formed his characteristic smile, dimples pushing into his cheeks as he ran a hand through his hair. For some reason unbeknownst to him, Q paid special attention to the way every strand of Toey’s hair returned to its perfect place, all prim and proper.

“Is P’Q done for the night?”

Q offered a nod, and he found a smile curling about his lips despite himself. It was hard not to cheer up when faced with Toey's overwhelming positive energy. “Just one more page and I’ll be out of here.”

“Great work today! Toey is almost finished, too!”

He didn’t know why the basic compliment had him flustered, rushing to return his attention to his keyboard. 

He’d barely gotten two words typed out before Toey was speaking again. “Does P’Q have plans for dinner?” From the corner of his eye, he could see how Toey looked down and adjusted his glasses before he continued. “If not, Toey is free.”

If Q had to guess, he’d say Toey seemed almost nervous to ask. Which made sense, given they’d never had dinner together before. Is that something coworkers do with each other?

Q didn’t know, but he did know that Toey was fidgeting in his seat, and his slight awkwardness was endearing beyond belief. He couldn’t possibly deny the request, not when he knew Toey would look like a kicked puppy if he was rejected.

“I have plans,” he started, and he took notice of how Toey wilted in his chair before taking pity on him. “I have plans with you, of course. Let’s hurry up and finish so we can go eat!”

Toey perked up, like a dying flower that had been given a revitalizing droplet of water, coming back to life.

“P’Q was teasing Toey,” he stated, but he was smiling. Toey was often smiling, it was one of the things Q admired about him. He was such a positive addition to the work environment, it was difficult to be in a bad mood when sunshine personified was sitting right beside him. 

Tan, their manager, came around the corner before he could respond. “Bad news,” he started, but he paused to ruffle Toey’s hair before continuing, which left Q with a bad taste in his mouth. 

Only because he knew Toey took great care in his appearance, not a strand of hair out of place, never caught without his white button-up shirt and dress pants.

“Hia Tan, don’t mess up Toey's hair in front of...,” Toey trailed off, busy fixing the strands back into place.

Tan raised an eyebrow, but elected to ignore the unfinished sentence. Instead, he turned to Q with a sheepish smile that spelled trouble. 

“Q, my good friend. How are you on this fine evening?”

“What do you need?”

Tan was unbothered by his bluntness. He was Q’s old desk partner, back before he was promoted to the position of office manager. This meant they had a long-standing friendship, so Tan never took offense to his lack of tact. 

It was nice, not having to worry about acting too formal with his higher-up. But at the same time, it meant he was Tan’s right-hand man, who he always came to when he needed a problem fixed. 

And today was no different.

“Chain and Pun both called in today. Sorry to dump this on you, but the Barnes project is due tomorrow, and I need you to finish it.”

Now that Tan mentioned it, Q hadn't seen either of them around the office all day. But the extra workload should’ve been passed to him in the morning, when he could've worked his schedule around it, not when he was about to leave.

“Seriously? Why am I only hearing about this now?”

Tan shrugged, “Sorry pal, the chain-of-command isn’t perfect. You’ve got it though?”

Q sighed deeply, scrubbing a frustrated hand down his face. He was really looking forward to getting out of this stuffy office, stretching his legs and eating some good food before going home and passing out in his comfortable bed.

Alas, he was the longest-working employee in this branch of the company, not to mention the person Tan trusted the most, so he was naturally expected to pick up the slack. That was part of why his paycheck was slightly higher than his peers’, not that he was one to brag.

“Yeah, I got it.”

Tan leaned down to squeeze Q in his arms, much to his chagrin. “Thank you, my good buddy! I’ll never forget everything you do for me!” 

“Yeah yeah, just go already.” Q waved him off, and he actually listened, probably not wanting to press his luck when Q was doing a favor for him.

Toey watched Tan leave with an unusual expression on his face, the corner of his mouth twitching in agitation. Q wondered in amusement if it was possible for Toey to get annoyed with someone.

“Sorry Toey, looks like I have plans after all. Rain check on dinner?”

Toey’s attention returned to him, and he was all sunshine and rainbows again, eyes shining with life and lips spreading into a smile. “It’s okay, Toey is free whenever!”

The sudden switch-up had Q thinking he'd imagined the split-second of distaste on Toey’s face. Surely, a man as happy-go-lucky as Toey wouldn't allow canceled dinner plans with a coworker to get him down. 

Q nodded, then let out another big sigh. “I’d better get back to work, I’ll be here all night.

Toey reached over, placing his hand on top of Q’s. His palm was warm and gentle, his gaze alight with compassion, demanding all of Q’s attention. “Don’t worry, P’Q. Toey will stay behind to help.”

Admittedly, the touch was a bit distracting. Still, Q was the senior in this situation, and he’d been delegated to complete this task alone, so he shouldn’t drag anyone else into it.

“No, you should go home so you won't be tired tomorrow.”

Toey tilted his head adorably, looking like a concerned puppy. “But what about you, Phi? Toey doesn't want P’Q to be tired either.”

He tried not to look into Toey's apparent worry about him. That was just the kind of person he was, carrying everyone else’s burdens on his back. Q didn't want to add to that weight.

Plus, Toey had been helpful enough already. He was always eager to take some of Q’s projects off his hands, lightening his workload so he didn't stress himself into a tizzy. But never a project as daunting as this, which would warrant staying after hours.

“I’ll be okay, I’m used to working on less sleep.”

Toey stubbornly shook his head, and his hand retreated. Strangely, Q found himself missing the touch, despite not usually being big on physical contact. “We’re desk mates, so we should help each other. Send Toey the files, okay?”

With his slightly pursed lips and wide, sparkly eyes, he was irresistible. Especially when he batted those delicate eyelashes, Q just couldn’t deny him anything.

And so, he ended up spending extra hours huddled over his computer, with Toey doing the same beside him. The work wasn’t very difficult, there was just so much to slog through.

Apparently, Chain and Pun had been slacking with their paperwork, and Q guessed that calling in just before the project’s due date was no coincidence.

He was so giving them a piece of his mind the next time he saw them.

“Just a few more pages and we can go home,” Q stated after a period of silence, no sound filling the room except the clack of his keyboard keys. 

He momentarily paused his typing to crack his stiff knuckles. His fingers were starting to cramp up, he knew they’d be hurting tomorrow. But they’d bother him a lot more if Toey hadn’t lent his assistance.

There was no answer to his statement, which was odd, considering Toey was a bit of a chatterbox. Not that he ever let that get in the way of his job. Toey was a very diligent employee, and he only chatted when he could find breaks in between his work.

Q glanced over and the sight that greeted him was straight out of a romance drama. 

Toey's eyes were closed, his breaths slow and deep. His head was leaning against his arm, which was resting on his desk. He must’ve been hit with a wave of sleepiness in the middle of typing a sentence, and rested his head for a moment. Which turned into him taking a little nap, right at his desk.

There was no way he could wake Toey, not without feeling guilty. He would insist on getting more work done if he was roused, and he looked like he needed the rest. Not to mention, he wasn't supposed to be there in the first place, and was only doing Q a favor. 

He couldn’t stop the smile from overtaking his face as he admired the softness of Toey’s cheeks, the relaxed state of his mouth. He looked so peaceful, in a way Q had never seen him before. 

Because Toey’s face was so expressive when he was awake, from the bright smile he constantly wore to the disgusted wrinkle of his nose when he accidentally took a sip of Q’s coffee, lacking the copious sugar and cream that Toey was used to. 

But now, every soft feature of his face was at ease. Q never understood the cliche of wanting to watch a person you care about as they sleep, it always struck him as a bit creepy. 

He was starting to think those cheesy romance movies had a point, though. Because Toey’s sleeping face filled him with calmness the likes of which he’d never before experienced.

The only troubling thing about the image was Toey’s glasses, which were digging into his face from the way they were pushed against his arm. That couldn’t be comfortable, and would probably press lines into his skin if left alone.

He reached over, carefully grasping the sides of Toey’s glasses. Slowly, he removed them, trying his best not to disturb his sleep.

Toey stirred for a moment, and Q worried he woke him after all. But he stilled soon after, lips curling up slightly in the corners. He must be having a sweet dream.

Q folded the glasses and put them down safely on his side of the desk, just in case Toey jostled in his sleep. He grabbed his suit jacket from the back of his chair, draping it over Toey’s back as a makeshift blanket. 

With Toey as comfortable as he possibly could be, he returned to his work. Occasionally, he’d glance over to ensure Toey was still sleeping peacefully.

After about an hour, Q was finishing up the last page of the document when Toey stirred again, this time accompanied by a soft, questioning hum. He watched as Toey’s eyes fluttered open, and he squinted in Q’s direction, probably wondering why his vision was all blurry. “P’Q?”

His sleepy blinks were so cute, as was the way his arms raised above his head to stretch as soon as he sat up properly.

“Why didn’t Phi wake Toey?” Toey rubbed at his tired eyes, and his words ended in a tiny yawn.

“You looked tired. Don’t worry, it’s basically done now.” 

Q picked up the glasses he’d confiscated, and he leaned closer to slip them back into place on Toey’s face. His fingers unintentionally brushed against Toey’s cheeks as he pulled away.

He thought Toey would protest, chastise him for not accepting more help. But he went strangely quiet instead, pulling Q’s jacket tighter around himself. It might have been his imagination, but it almost seemed like Toey was ducking his head to sniff the fabric.

He was probably just drowsy from his nap, that was why his cheeks had dusted pink right where Q accidentally touched them.

A few more minutes and the project was all wrapped up. He emailed the files to Tan and shut down his computer. “There we go, all done.”

That was when he realized Toey had slipped Q’s suit jacket on. It was a little big on him, loose around the shoulders and sleeves hanging down over his hands. He looked so cute that Q didn’t even think to question why he’d decided to wear it. 

“P’Q did so well. Let’s go home now.”

He didn’t know why Toey’s words filled him with such warmth. All he knew was that Toey could keep the suit jacket, and anything else he wanted. 

Q would give him everything, he didn't even have to ask. 

“Good morning, P’Q!”

Q turned away from the coffee maker, towards the entrance of the breakroom, allowing himself a small smile. One thing he always appreciated about Toey was his boundless energy. It was contagious, a nice pick-me-up in the mornings for a sleepy person like him. 

“Good morning, Toey. Did you get enough sleep?”

Toey strode towards him, joining him at the coffee machine. “Toey crashed out as soon as he got home!”

Q snorted, it was hard to imagine Toey being tuckered out when he was so full of life whenever Q saw him. Aside from when Toey fell asleep the night before, which almost seemed like a fever dream when he was now faced with Toey’s bright eyes, not a hint of sleepiness within them.

He poured a cup of coffee, adding a ton of sweetener before handing it to the younger. “Thank you for staying late to help me finish the project.”

Toey beamed, taking the cup from him, and his fingers brushed against Q’s for a moment. “Of course, anything for P’Q.” 

At Q’s raised eyebrow, he corrected himself, “Anything for the job!”

Q nodded, pouring himself a cup, sans sweetener. “Still, you’re a lifesaver. Without you, I’d be in deep trouble.”

Toey hid a smile against the edge of the coffee cup, adjusting his glasses. “P’Q would do the same for Toey.”

That was true. There were a lot of things he'd do for Toey, a few hours of overtime was nothing. But that was a conversation for another time. 

Speaking of last night, a sudden image flashed in his mind. Toey had looked ethereal with his focused expression, typing with quick, nimble fingers as the setting sun streamed in through the huge office windows, bathing him in yellows and oranges.

“Hey idiot, you left this at my house.” Peem’s voice interrupted his thoughts, and Q hadn’t even noticed his arrival. He was too busy reminiscing on how pretty Toey had looked the night before, with his white button-up sleeves rolled up to his elbows and his dimpled cheeks when he smiled upon catching Q staring at him. 

Peem had been his best friend for many years, and they even landed jobs in the same company. Although, they worked in different departments, so they never saw each other at work. 

Peem was handing him a sandwich wrapped in plastic wrap, which was supposed to be Q’s lunch. Not a very luxurious meal, sure, but he was trying to cut costs and cheap meals were the easiest way to go about it. 

“Oh, thanks.” He took the sandwich, a little embarrassed because Toey had to see his sad little lunch. 

A quick glance at Toey confirmed his mouth was set in a strange line, missing his usual cheery smile. His eyes were narrowed slightly, like he didn’t like what he was seeing. Maybe he thought it was rude that Q didn’t introduce him?

“Uhh, this is Toey, my deskmate,” he awkwardly gestured to Toey with his sandwich-clad hand.

“Ohh, the one who stayed behind to help you yesterday?” Peem was armed with a knowing smile, though Q didn’t know why. 

Toey’s eyes widened in surprise, rounding out into something more reminiscent of his usual doe-eyed expressions. “P’Q talked about Toey?”

“Of course, he said he was veryyy grateful for your help.”

Q pointedly elbowed Peem, and luckily Toey was too busy smiling down at his coffee to notice. 

“Okay, you can leave now,” Q urged, and thankfully Peem listened, though not without throwing him one last cryptic grin.

He was so embarrassing. Q really didn’t need for his closest coworker to see him any differently thanks to Peem’s antics.

“P’Q, who was that?” Toey’s voice was sickly-sweet, his smile too-wide as he adjusted his glasses so they sat correctly on his nose bridge. Something about his tone gave Q the shudders.

“That was my friend, Peem.”

“Ohh, so P’Q likes to sleep over at his friends’ houses?”

The only reason he’d crashed at Peem’s in the first place was because it was closer to the office and he was too tired to make the extra trek to his apartment last night. 

Toey was tapping his fingers against his coffee cup, eyes locked onto Q. He felt vaguely like he was being interrogated.

“Yeah, sometimes.”

Toey hummed, setting his cup down on the counter, only to rest his hand on Q’s upper arm instead. Just like that, his sharp smile melted into one of warmth, eyes wide and pleading atop pinkened cheeks. 

“P’Q should come to Toey’s house.” His voice was honey-sweet, colored with layers of temptation, and Q was helpless to resist.

He swallowed, trying his best to ignore how soft and gentle Toey's palm felt against his arm. “You're inviting me over?”

“We’re friends, right?” Toey’s adorable pout was lethal, especially when paired with a luminous set of sparkling eyes.

“We are.”

“Then, P’Q has to come to Toey’s house this weekend.” Toey lightly squeezed his arm, taking a step closer, and suddenly Q could smell nothing but honey and hibiscus. “P’Q owes Toey that dinner rain check too.”

Q could feel the heat rising to his cheeks, he wasn't used to such undivided attention being on him. Plus, Toey was a very attractive man, so it was easy to fall into his charms, whether Toey knew what he was doing or not. 

Q was a grown man, getting flustered over an arm touch and proximity to his coworker. He was a ridiculous cliché, but there were worse things to deal with than a pretty boy touching him. 

“Okay, I'll go.” He tried not to notice how his voice audibly softened, and how he missed Toey's touch as soon as it left.

“Great!,” Toey was beaming, and he hurried towards the door, retreating before Q could change his mind. “Toey will send P’Q the address!”

Toey’s good mood was always contagious, leaving Q with a smile on his face. Even though his heart was still racing in his chest, beating fast for the man with the pretty dimples and sunshine smile. 

“He likes you.” The first words out of Peem’s mouth confused him. He'd barely gotten home from work when Peem had invited himself over, barging in and making himself right at home on Q’s couch. 

“Huh? Who?”

Peem shook his head, grinning in such an annoying way that Q wanted to kick him out immediately. “Your little work friend, Toey.”

Even just the utterance of his name was enough to have Q on high alert. There was a reason he never mentioned Toey to Peem before, not that they talked about work much anyways. 

But now, the cat was out of the bag. All because of that stupid sandwich. It wasn't even tasty, by the way. So not worth this third degree. 

He stiffened, fingers twitching where they rested against his knees. For someone who didn't talk about his feelings all that much, they sure seemed to choose the worst times to make themselves clear in his awkward actions.

“What? No.” That was his genius denial, and even he could hear the lie in his words. 

Peem gasped, pointing an accusatory finger at him. “You like him too!”

“Do not,” was his clever response, but the crossing of Peem’s arms over his chest showed he wasn't convinced in the slightest.

“When were you going to tell me you had a crush?”

Q groaned, rubbing a hand down his face. Here Peem was, accusing Q of having a crush, like he was some blushing high school boy. He was a grown man, for god’s sake. 

“There's nothing to tell. He doesn't have feelings for me, end of story.”

Peem raised an eyebrow, no doubt taking note of the distinct lack of further denial of Q’s feelings. 

“Let me guess, he’s always offering you help with work.”

Q shrugged, “He’s just a really good worker.”

“I bet he takes breaks at the same time as you.”

“He can’t control the schedule.”

“He was glaring daggers at me just for handing you a dry-ass sandwich.”

Now that one, he didn’t have a logical excuse for. And come to think of it, Toey did seem to have a similar expression whenever Tan showed too much affection to Q.

He scratched at his head, avoiding Peem’s gaze as he scoured his mind for any possible explanation. “Maybe he just thought you were ugly.”

“Doubt it. If he thinks you’re attractive, his standards must be very low.” 

Q rolled his eyes, but dropped the silly argument there. He had much more important things to worry about, namely if his feelings for Toey were so obvious that someone who saw them together for all of two seconds could tell.

Did that mean Toey knew, too? 

“Wait, he invited me to his house on Saturday.”

Peem clasped a hand over his shoulder. “Congratulations, you have a date.”

Q was riddled with nerves when he rang Toey's doorbell. Who needed enemies when he had a best friend like Peem? He was in Q’s ear for days, insisting that Toey inviting him over counted as a date, and Q was running out of excuses for why it wasn't.

He wasn't even sure if he believed himself anymore. 

The door opened, and there was Toey, in all of his glory. It was Q’s first time seeing him outside of the office. He was dressed in casual clothes, but his hair was perfectly styled, as always. 

Toey’s face lit up, and you’d think he just witnessed a miracle rather than the same old face he'd seen five days a week for the better part of a year. 

“P’Q! Come in, come in!” Toey grabbed him by the hand, gently pulling him through the front door. Toey’s hand fit perfectly in his, and his touch was comforting, Q kind of didn’t want to let it go.

Toey seemed to share this sentiment, for he didn’t drop Q’s hand, even after he’d closed the door behind them. Instead, he led Q to the couch with all the excitement of a child on Christmas. 

“Toey ordered the food, it will be here any minute! Let’s pick a movie to watch!” 

Only once they sat down did Toey seem to realize what he’d done, cheeks coloring prettily as he let go of Q’s hand. “Sorry, Toey got too excited.”

“I didn’t mind.” Q’s mouth moved faster than his brain, not wanting Toey to feel embarrassed. “I’m excited, too.”

That was true, though he only realized after he said it. The nerves bubbling up in his stomach weren’t a bad thing, because they were paired closely together with anticipation. 

He watched with amusement as Toey’s cheeks darkened, although he knew he was faring no better. He could hardly be blamed for it, it wasn't every day a pretty boy held his hand and admitted how eager he was to see him.

Those darling dimples were carving into Toey’s cheeks, both hands now clutching the TV remote. 

“P’Q is excited?” Toey’s voice was small, so unlike his usual larger-than-life personality, and Q wondered if anyone else got to see him like this. Selfishly, he hoped he was the only one. He wanted to be special.

“Yeah,” came Q’s simple response. But there was nothing simple about the way his voice softened to brand new heights, sounding almost sweet. 

Toey was staring at him with those big, beautiful eyes, teeth worrying on his bottom lip. He looked like he wanted to say something, but there was a knock on the door before he could. He jumped up, seemingly grateful for the interruption. 

“Toey will go get the food!”

Q took advantage of his brief moment alone to look around the living room. Toey’s house was big and homey, a far cry from Q’s cramped apartment. He wondered if Toey was secretly rich, because Q had only seen the entranceway and the living room and he was already impressed. 

There were photos hanging up of Toey with his parents, as well as Toey in his childhood. He was smiling in all of them, of course. A sunshine from day one. 

Toey returned with two bags full of food containers, setting them on the coffee table. 

“Did you invite five other people that I don’t know about? Why so much food?”

Toey’s resulting laugh was sheepish. “Toey wasn’t sure what P’Q likes, so Toey got a little bit of everything.”

He was even more thoughtful than Q realized. “That’s really sweet of you.”

Toey was avoiding his gaze as he took the containers out of the bags. “P’Q can pick first.”

Toey had a good taste in food, and Q wasn’t a picky eater anyway, so there was plenty for him to choose from. They settled on the couch with their large dinner, and chose a random movie to watch.

Q honestly wasn’t paying attention to the film, he couldn’t even recall the main character’s name. Mostly because Toey kept stealing glances at him in between bites of food. If Toey thought he was being sneaky, he was dead wrong.

“Why do you keep looking at me?”

Toey froze, swallowing the food in his mouth, cheeks dusted pink from being caught. He genuinely thought he was being discreet, the poor thing. Q was growing more endeared to him by the second.

Toey placed his plate down, seemingly finished eating. “Toey hasn’t seen P’Q in casual clothes before.” Q sensed that wasn’t entirely it, especially when Toey adjusted his glasses, as was his nervous habit. 

When Q clearly didn’t buy it, he continued. “And… Toey is just shocked P’Q agreed to come.”

Toey hadn’t given him much of a choice. It would’ve been impossible to deny the request with the way Toey was looking at him when he asked.

“Why wouldn’t I?”

Toey shrugged, pulling a blanket off the arm of the couch and wrapping it around himself, almost like he wanted to hide from the world. Luckily, he didn’t cover his face, so Q was free to stare as payback for Toey’s eyes being glued to him for the better part of dinner. 

“Maybe P’Q would rather spend time with someone else. Like a girlfriend... Or boyfriend.”

Q had to hold back a laugh. Not that he wanted to make fun of Toey, it was just that his methods were so blatant that it was kind of cute. 

Okay, more than kind of. He was really cute, the cutest person Q had ever met, and he couldn’t delude himself into thinking any differently anymore.

Because there was really only one reason Toey would be asking about his dating status.

“I don’t have a boyfriend.” 

Toey noticeably perked up, favoring his response, which had Q biting back a smile.

He took his phone out of his pocket, navigating to his text thread with Peem. He'd been flooded with notifications from his best friend, making fun of him for having a crush and asking how his date was going. He was ignoring them on purpose, because he didn't want to psych himself out.

Against his better judgement, he typed out a message.

You were right. I think he likes me.

Normally, Q hated admitting he was wrong. But this time, he didn’t mind it so much, even though it meant Peem wouldn’t let him hear the end of it. He would gladly eat his own words, as long as it meant Toey was really interested in him. 

Told you so.

Peem was so annoying. And not helpful at all, he might add. 

“Why is P’Q on his phone? P’Q is supposed to watch the movie with Toey.” Toey’s whiny voice commanded his attention, and Q felt a pang in his chest.

“Sorry, Toey.” He put his phone away without gracing Peem with a response, but not before spotting the younger’s sweet, shy smile, dimples appearing in his cheeks.

He returned his gaze to the screen, but since he hadn’t been actually watching this whole time, he had no idea what was going on. 

Instead, his focus shifted to how safe he felt. 

Q wasn't the most emotionally open person in the world, but Toey was someone he didn't feel like he had to hide his true self from. He didn't think Toey had a judgemental bone in his body. It was easy to let loose around him, to relax and let his feelings wash over him instead of locking them away in some box that had long-since lost its key. 

With a full stomach and Toey’s warm presence beside him, he felt right at home.

Come to think of it, had Toey scooted closer when Q was busy texting Peem? It sure seemed like it, because their thighs were almost touching, and Q definitely would’ve noticed that sooner.

Seeing as he couldn’t focus on the film, he decided to find out if Toey really was jealous, as Peem had implied. That would be a pretty good indicator that Q was reading the signs right, so he didn’t embarrass himself by misunderstanding.

“I was just texting Peem.” He tried to sound casual about it, but it really just came across as an awkward interjection. Toey didn’t seem to notice how out of place his statement was, though.

Like a flip had been switched, Toey’s smile dropped, replaced with a decadent pout. He pulled his blanket tighter around himself, clearly sulking. “If P’Q wanted to talk to him, Phi should’ve gone to his house.”

Well, there was Q’s answer. Toey’s jealousy manifested in the cutest way possible, lips pursed and little huffs leaving his throat. 

Q placed a hand on Toey’s back, slowly rubbing up and down. “Don’t sulk, Nong. I’ll watch the movie with you now.”

Toey slowly turned to face him, and his pout had disappeared. Instead, his mouth was slack in amazement, and his eyes were dazed, almost incredulous. “Since when does Phi call Toey that?”

“Since today. Why, you don’t like it?”

“Toey likes it.” That was what his mouth said, anyway. But Q read between the lines, the unspoken Toey likes you, sparkling in his eyes and hanging off his plump lips.

Q was still rubbing Toey’s back, his other hand resting over his own knee. It was this hand that soon found Toey’s sitting on top of it, his delicate fingers curling around Q’s.

“Is this a date?,” Toey asked, the million-dollar question of the night. His head was ducked, and he was looking at Q over the top of his glasses.

His bashful demeanor emboldened Q, and his hand raised to brush back a wayward strand of Toey’s hair that was falling over his forehead. Toey’s eyelashes fluttered and he leaned into the touch, seemingly without even realizing what he was doing. 

“Shouldn’t I be asking you that? You’re the one who invited me.”

With his ducked position, his glasses had slid halfway down his nose, and Toey pushed them back up with his free hand. “If Toey said he wanted it to be a date… would that be okay?”

Everything about Toey was cute, from the way he blinked, to the way he sucked his bottom lip into his mouth out of nervousness, to the way his breathing stuttered as he anticipated Q’s response. 

He was so silly, looking like a sweet, anxious mess. As if Q would have any other answer. 

“I’d like that.”

Toey let out a long, steadying breath, shoulders dropping in relief. “Then, how is the date going? Is Toey taking good care of his Phi?”

Q blinked stupidly, trying to focus on Toey’s words rather than the way his lips moved when he spoke. But his question confused Q. Nobody had ever tried to take care of him before, he was out of his element here.

When he really thought about it though, Toey had always been taking care of him. And not just tonight, when he made sure Q was fed and comfortable, unwinding under the domestic atmosphere of Toey’s living room. 

Toey was always helping him with his work, cheering him up when stress started creeping in on him, making him coffee when Toey was the first one in the breakroom in the morning. He’d been looking after Q since the beginning, despite being the younger between them. 

With that thought in mind, he freed his hand from under Toey’s, only to hold his hand properly, their fingers interlacing. “You always do.” The admission was soft, but the words were weighted, an acknowledgement of all of Toey’s efforts.

He’d never felt this shy before, redness creeping over his entire face. But he held his ground, maintaining eye contact even though Toey’s irises were brighter than the sun, threatening to swallow him up in their radiance. 

Toey was staring back at him, teeth digging into his bottom lip and Q was entirely too aware of how close they were. He had to break the stifling silence that had fallen between them, or else he might burst into flames.

“Didn’t you want to watch the movie?”

“There's something Toey wants to do more,” he responded, voice hushed and eyes dripping with honey. Slowly, Toey came closer, crowding him against the couch's armrest. He even climbed on top of Q, pinning him down with his weight alone, ensuring he wouldn’t go anywhere.

Of course, Q could throw Toey off of him and run out if he really wanted to. But he wouldn’t, and Toey knew that. 

Toey was leaning down, slowly closing the distance between them, and Q’s eyes fluttered shut when their noses touched. He puckered his lips up slightly, fully prepared to feel the warmth of Toey’s lips against his.

What he received instead was hard plastic knocking against his cheeks, just below his eyes. 

Toey recoiled, apologies falling from his lips. He looked so nervous, and his eyes were practically begging for Q’s reassurance, which he was more than happy to give. 

“It’s okay, Nong.” 

He reached up, gently sliding Toey’s glasses off his face and setting them down safely on the coffee table.

“Can you still see me?”

Toey nodded slowly, almost in a daze. “P’Q is so pretty.”

The praise had his heart squeezing in his chest, especially considering how Toey was hovering on top of him. Seeing his face from this close was maddening, and Q could hardly stand the suffocating attraction building between them.

But Toey wasn’t attempting to kiss him again. The glasses mishap must’ve caused him to lose some of his confidence, and it was Q’s job to bring it back.

One of his hands found the curve of Toey’s neck, sensually rubbing over his skin, and he reveled in Toey’s resulting shiver.

“P’Q,” he breathed out, pretty eyelashes fluttering. He was a vision, an angel incarnate, and Q almost felt guilty for what he was about to do. 

Claiming an angel for himself was surely a sin, but he couldn’t possibly let anyone else sink their greedy fingers into Toey. Not when he was so sweet, the most thoughtful man in the world, and he was looking down at Q like he saw their future together reflected in his eyes.

He gave a pointed glance down at Toey’s supple lips, which parted in surprise. “Kiss me, Toey. I want you to.”

That was enough to restore Toey’s confidence, and he surged forward with renewed vigor. Toey kissed him eagerly, and his lips were soft and sweet, just like him. 

Q followed his lead, melting into the kiss and moving his lips against Toey’s. He clung onto the younger’s neck for dear life, as Toey seemed intent on making sure their lips would be swollen by the end of the night.

Toey’s tongue peeked out, pressing against the seam of his lips. Q gasped at the unexpected warmth, inadvertently breaking the kiss.

Toey pulled away, breathing hard, like he’d run a marathon instead of attacking Q’s mouth with his own. “Sorry, Toey got carried away.”

Q offered a gentle smile, fingers playing with the tiny hairs at the nape of Toey’s neck. “Don’t be. I liked it.”

Toey was mesmerized, staring at Q’s lips like he was one second away from leaning in again. Instead, Toey’s warm hands found Q’s cheeks, cupping them with all the care in the world.

“Will P’Q be Toey's boyfriend?”

Q hadn’t expected that question so soon, but he admired Toey’s bravery.

If Toey wanted him bad enough to stake a personal claim on him after just one kiss, who was he to stop him? Besides, there were worse fates than having an adorable, sunshine boyfriend who wanted to take care of him. And Q had secretly wished for this day, as much as he'd been in denial before.

That didn’t mean he couldn’t tease Toey a little first, though.

“Are my kissing skills that good?”

His question achieved the intended result, Toey's shyness returning in the form of blushy cheeks and stumbling over his words. 

“No- Well yes, but Toey has liked P’Q for a while and-”

“Yes, I’ll be your boyfriend." Q didn’t wait for a response, using his grip around Toey’s neck to pull him in for another kiss. He didn’t have the self-control required to keep the joke going, not when Toey was right there within his grasp, pink-cheeked with kiss-swollen lips.

Their lips slotted perfectly together, almost like they were crafted with each other in mind, and the way Toey easily took control of the kiss had his head spinning. Nobody had ever tried to guide him like this before, or treated him like he was something delicate, something to be treasured. 

He quite liked it. Enough to give a soft noise of displeasure when Toey pulled away. 

Toey was still holding his face, as if he was cradling his entire world in his hands. “Next time P’Q has to work late, he can stay here with Toey.”

Q couldn’t hold back a laugh, amused that Toey was stuck on his cute little jealous moment. “You’re still bothered by that?”

Toey didn’t grace his question with an answer, instead rubbing circles into Q’s cheeks with his thumbs. “And P’Q can eat lunch with Toey. No more sad sandwiches.”

“Because you’ll take care of me?”

Toey softened, eyes melting into pools of honey as he gathered Q in his arms, giving him an all-encompassing hug. “Toey promises to always take care of his Phi.”

Two kisses and a single embrace were all it took for Q to be transformed into a gentle, delicate being, holding onto Toey and counting his blessings that he’d somehow landed himself such a caring partner. He hadn’t even set out with that intention, and yet here he was, warm and calm in Toey’s arms.

“You have nothing to be jealous of. I’ve never kissed Peem, you know.”

“And P’Q better not.”

“Why would I? I have a boyfriend.”

That seemed to appease Toey, and he pulled back just enough for Q to see that pretty smile. “Toey likes hearing P’Q say that.”

“Yeah? Well then, you’ll love this.”

Q slipped his phone out of his pocket, opening the camera and ambushing Toey with a sneak attack, by way of kissing his cheek before he knew what was happening. He clicked the perfect photo, with Toey’s eyes wide and cheeks darkened, Q’s lips connected to his face.

“P’Q!,” he chastised, but it was through giggles. Q pressed their cheeks together next, and he relished in the matching flush on their faces as he took another photo. 

This time, they were smiling for the camera. They looked so cozy and domestic, like partners who had been together for a lifetime rather than all of fifteen minutes. 

The first image was for his eyes only. He wanted to be the only one privy to how adorable Toey looked when he made such a shy, shocked expression. 

And so, he sent the second picture to Peem, along with the message, Boyfriend acquired. 

As he suspected, Toey indeed liked his little display, as proven by the warm kisses being pressed over every inch of his face. 

“P’Q is so cute,” Toey marveled in between kisses, and Q wasn’t used to that kind of compliment. But, the warmth spreading through his chest suggested he could get used to it. 

His phone vibrated with Peem’s response. We’re happy for you, it read, with an image attached.

It was of him and Phum, smiling in the way they only did when they were together, which always made Q’s skin crawl. People in love are gross.

He supposed that also made him gross now, considering the picture he sent read like a honeymoon photo. But he didn’t care one bit, not when Toey was basically laying on top of him, warming his entire body, including his heart.

“It’s Peem and his boyfriend,” he explained, tilting the screen so Toey could see.

Toey gasped, scrambling to sit up, which only meant he was now sitting in Q’s lap. That made it harder for Q to pay attention to the words coming out of his mouth. “Peem has a boyfriend? Why didn’t Phi tell Toey sooner?”

“Your jealous mode was too cute.”

Toey huffed, finally climbing off of Q to sit beside him again, crossing his arms over his chest. “P’Q, you’re mean.”

Q bit back a smile, and abruptly stood up. “If I’m so mean, I guess I should go then-”

Toey’s hand shot out, grabbing onto Q’s. He looked up at Q with those big boba eyes, mouth pursed in a little pout. “No! P’Q can’t go anywhere, Toey is keeping him here forever.” 

Amused, Q squeezed Toey’s hand in his grip, but made no move to sit back down. Toey was too fun to tease, and his puppy-dog expression was too cute. Q wanted to see it every day. “Why do I have to stay?”

Toey reached out to grab Q’s other hand, holding him hostage by way of double hand-holding. “Because… we’re meant to be together. And we’ll get married someday.”

Toey had to be crazy, to bring up marriage after less than an hour of dating him. If anyone else were to act this way so soon, Q probably wouldn’t find it so cute. 

He had a feeling Toey would be getting away with a lot of things because of how cute and sweet he was, lacking a single ill intention. He was like a little puppy, overly-eager in all things, which only made it impossible to deny him anything. 

“So you kissed me, asked me out and proposed to me all in one day?”

Toey nodded, tugging gently on Q’s hands. “Come sit with your husband.”

Toey was really committed to the bit, which meant he probably already imagined what married life between them would be like. He must not have been lying when he said he had feelings for Q for a long time. Imaging Toey giggling to himself while picturing their wedding only had butterflies coming to life in Q’s stomach.

Which meant he was just as down bad as Toey.

Obediently, he sat back down, and Toey wasted no time wrapping his arms around him. 

“Stop being so cute, my heart can’t take it.”

One of Toey’s wandering hands found his heart, resting over it and claiming it as belonging to him. “Don’t worry, Toey will take care of P’Q’s heart.”

Q had never been this excited to be at work. He took every assignment handed to him with a smile, and he caught himself sighing dreamily more than once, whenever he spared a glance at his beautiful desk partner. 

Toey always noticed, turning to meet his gaze with a bright smile of his own, glasses perched on his nose and dimples pushing into his cheeks. 

It had been like this for two weeks now, ever since Toey asked him out. It was a wonder how every other worker in the building didn’t feel the almost tangible lovey-dovey haze that surrounded their working area. 

Everything was sunshine and rainbows, and even the monotonous typing that was a part of his daily routine didn’t feel as dreadful as usual. Because every now and then, Toey would lean a bit closer to him, filling Q’s nose with his comfortable scent, and ask how work was coming along. To which he’d reply, “It’s perfect, just like you.”

Q may have turned a bit sappy now that he had a boyfriend, but who could blame him? The delighted smile he earned in response made everything worth it.

He was in an especially good mood because they had a date scheduled after work. They’d be eating dinner at a nice restaurant that Q went through great pains to pick out. He wanted everything to be perfect, because Toey deserved nothing short of the best.

He was returning to his desk after a quick bathroom break when he was cornered by Tan in a vacant hallway.

“Is there something I should know about?”

Maybe somebody had noticed the changed atmosphere in their workspace after all. But he thought it best to play dumb until he knew for sure what Tan was referring to, so he put on his best confused expression. 

“What do you mean?”

Tan’s raised eyebrow said he wasn’t buying it. “Someone told me they saw you getting out of Toey’s car this morning. So either my favorite employee found himself a carpool buddy, or something else is going on.”

He’d been persuaded to spend the night at Toey’s house last night, not that it took much convincing. A singular bat of eyelashes and Q was already handing himself over for a night full of sleepy cuddles in Toey’s bed.

As such, Toey insisted on driving Q to work that morning.

Admittedly, Q was a little worried about getting fired because of this. But he hadn’t thought too much about it, because a job is a job is a job. Meaning, he could always find another, especially with years of experience under his belt. But there was only one Toey, and Q couldn’t let him slip through his fingers. 

Which was why they hadn’t bothered trying to hide their relationship, and people would be figuring it out sooner or later. If there were any repercussions, they’d face them together, come what may.

Facing the music was made immensely less intimidating with the knowledge that his adorable boyfriend would support him through anything.

“Okay, I’m dating Toey. And I understand if that isn’t allowed, but if anyone has to be fired, let it be me.”

“Q, what-” Tan attempted to cut him off, but he couldn’t let his spiel get interrupted, this was important.

“It was all my doing, and Toey is really good at his job, and don’t even think about asking me to break up with him because that isn’t happening-”

“Relax, it’s no big deal.”

Q blinked dumbly, stopping in his tracks. “It’s not?”

“I’m not here to interrogate you, our office doesn’t have a no-dating policy. I was just being nosy.”

Q’s shoulders relaxed, and he hadn’t even realized when they tensed up. “Nosy bastard.”

Tan snorted good-naturedly, placing a hand on Q’s shoulder. “I may be your manager, but I’m also your friend. I’m happy for you, you seem a lot more… smiley now.”

Two weeks out and people were already noticing Q’s brand new softness, fresh out its packaging and coaxed out by Toey's gentle hands. 

He wasn't ashamed, in fact he took pride in allowing himself to change for the better. Toey made him want to be a better man, to communicate his feelings more effectively and show his affection freely. 

But Tan didn't need to hear all of that.

“Thanks, I appreciate it.”

“Now get back to work, or you really will be fired.”

He snorted, “As if this company can run without me.” 

Tan offered a cheeky wink before going on his merry way, and Q felt a bit lighter after the conversation. At least now he knew their jobs weren’t in any danger.

As he was passing by the breakroom on his way back to Toey, he was suddenly grabbed and pulled into the room. “What-”

“Shh, it’s Toey.” 

Sure enough, there was his boyfriend, looking as pretty as ever. He was glowing, eyes shining with the light of a million stars and lips curved to perfection.

“Toey heard everything Phi said. P’Q was so cute, defending Toey’s honor.”

As soon as his sentence was finished, Toey grabbed onto his tie, tugging him into a rough kiss. Toey was hungry, claiming his lips with a force to be reckoned with, and Q was made breathless in seconds.

It was their twenty-seventh kiss, not that Q was counting. And nineteen of them had been initiated by Toey, not that he was keeping score. 

They'd thankfully mastered the art of kissing without Toey's glasses getting in the way.

There was a bit of a thrill from the way he was held in place by Toey’s grasp on his tie, not to mention they were at work and this was definitely unprofessional. Anyone could walk in at any second and tell them to knock it off. 

But he couldn’t care less when Toey’s tongue was tracing along the seam of his lips, an action he’d done eleven times by now. And yeah, Q was counting. 

He parted his lips, granting Toey entry, which he happily accepted. Toey’s warm tongue pressed around the inside of his mouth, claiming every inch for himself. Just as he'd claimed every bit of Q’s being, from his heart to his thoughts to his dreams. 

When the kiss was broken, Q wasn't even allowed any time to catch his breath before Toey was rubbing over his upper arm, eyes half-lidded and lips reddening from the force of the kiss. “P’Q will stay the night after dinner?”

“Yeah.” He was still breathless, but he managed to choke out his answer. 

With one last teasing smile full of promise and anticipation, Toey dropped his tie. “Let’s get back to work.” 

And just like that, Toey exited, leaving Q to his own devices. He smoothed down his shirt, correcting its rumpled appearance and adjusting his tie to its proper place. 

“He’s perfect,” he muttered to himself, and quickly went to follow, not wanting to keep his boyfriend waiting.