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‘Have you found anything useful?’ Eddy’s voice echoed through the Message chain between himself, Richie, and Avery. Avery’s eyes were already rolling from the moment he knew who was speaking in his head.
Avery was content not dignifying the question with a response, but Richie was quick on the draw to give a real answer – a negative one, but an answer nonetheless.
So far the warehouse was nothing but storage crates filled with canned soup and vegetables. The tip sent into the DAO hotline claimed that one of the canning companies was using a flavor enhancer to get their shitty soups to sell better. It didn’t sound like a high-brow case and it certainly didn’t feel like it warranted the use of the entire team.
Working their way between product storage containers stacked to the ceiling, the three stealthiest team members slipped around corners and between boxes, trying to detect any source of magic.
There was quite literally nothing to be found.
Avery was growing bored and annoyed with the task, slowly realizing this was a complete waste of everyone’s time. And he meant everyone’s time… Which coming from Avery marked a clear lack of even crumbs of something going on.
‘Should we be grabbing samples or…?’ Richie polled the chat through their mental link.
‘Wouldn’t hurt if you’re able to.’ Eddy replied.
Wordlessly, Avery made quick work of getting Nifty to aid him in cracking open a crate and snatching a sample can, ensuring that the crate gave no clues that it had been tampered with.
‘Is that it? Do we have to keep looking around if there’s nothing happening?’ Richie sounded like he was getting antsy and bored even through the mental telephone. Avery shrugged and gestured for them to turn around and start heading out. Out of the conversational loop, Nifty was left a little lost as they suddenly changed course. Not that they weren’t used to it. They refused to use the Message stones.
As they started re-traced their steps back out, Avery stopped suddenly, causing Nifty to bump into him and cuss under their breath. Richie bumbled into the two of them.
Avery glanced back apologetically before tilting his head towards a box that had made him stop. It was a single crate bearing a different company name than the one they had been investigating. The lid was already cracked, showcasing a small selection of individually wrapped chocolates. The investigation had been pretty much a bust so far… But that could be a little reward for their efforts, right?
Communicating through gestures and wild expressions, Nifty and Avery reached in together and selected a piece each, just a little greed and some sort of comradery fueling the action. Richie glanced in and scrunched his face, not seeing anything that struck his fancy. When Nifty and Avery were enjoying the fruits of their espionage labor, Richie rooted around until he found a second crate, one that had candy more to his liking.
Nifty and Avery had already started leaving again, which made him grumble as he stuffed his reward in his mouth and scrambled after them, choice words echoing in his head.
It was rather unfortunate that the crates had declined to clearly lay out the intentions of their chocolate products. Something was already working its way through the systems of the unsuspecting Nifty and Avery.
-
Outside, Jeb and Eddy were sat next to each other in the company car. The Smiths played softly from the car’s speakers, something Jeb hadn’t had the heart to tell Eddy was really bringing his mood down. Granted, Eddy had asked if it was alright for him to play, but Jeb didn’t know what he was getting himself into. How he longed for just one non-sad guitar strum.
“So is it… always this sad?” Jeb finally couldn’t hold it in any longer. He had to know if this was all Eddy listened to.
Eddy blinked. Jeb sounded so forlorn about the choice of music, but this was average listening for Eddy – he wasn’t even playing the songs that made him emotional.
“It’s not sad, it’s more… Well, you see Jeb with The Smiths, it’s about- oh thank god.” Eddy couldn’t figure out the words to say to appease Jeb about his taste in music, but he could see the trio of figures slipping out of the warehouse’s doors and slinking back towards the car.
To save himself from having to explain his… interesting relationship with a band, Eddy opened the door and got out of the car, cutting off the music with the motion. Jeb followed in the lead of Eddy and fumbled his way out of the car as well.
Finally, the three stealth experts got up close enough to fully see the two waiting for them in the cool air.
“Jesus, that was a waste of time if I’ve ever… If I’ve ever…” Nifty’s words trailed off, eyes focusing on something in the distance. Lips parted, they processed for only a moment before letting out a sharp breath. “Damn okay.”
Tongue pressed into a canine tooth, Nifty found they couldn’t tear their golden gaze away from the shorter of the two men waiting for them by the car. It wasn’t like they hadn’t looked Eddy over before – he was once the picture perfect version of the kind of cute older guy they’d typically be into – but something about the early afternoon lighting was really doing Eddy some favors.
That stupid strand of loose hair he could never contain hung between his eyes, swinging back and forth like a hypnotist’s hanging watch face. Nifty couldn’t look away.
“What the fuck did Eddy do to look so good today?” Nifty questioned out-loud, the processing of information happening in their brain slowing until it was only a simple drone of attraction.
Next to Nifty, Avery found himself suddenly swimming in exactly the same waters.
‘When the hell did Jeb start looking so damn nice in his stock polo shirt?’ Avery stopped walking, falling behind the other two.
“Is Jeb wearing a shirt that actually fits him today?” Avery’s words were drastically dulled from their usual cutting edge, even for the tone he reserved for gentle Jeb. He was searching Jeb over, trying to pinpoint what had changed in the twenty minutes they’d been separated. Unfortunately, he kept getting distracted by Jeb’s wrangling-made muscles and how broad his shoulders were and how easy it would be for him to just pick Avery up off the ground and-
“I don’t know what the fuck you’re seeing in Eddy when Jeb is right there.”
Richie looked between the other two. These comments were fully out of the blue… But… Well he supposed Eddy did look good in the midday lighting, jacket sleeves rolled up around his biceps, bulging out to highlight the shape of his toned arms. His gaze wandered lower, but he pulled himself back, the heat rising to his face far too much to bear.
Surely though something had gotten to them in the warehouse. Something that was clearly affecting him too. What else could possibly make him even consider looking that way at another man? In a group of all male-presenting coworkers, surely there was no way that there could be this much attraction unless it was magically induced. That’s all it was. Was he sure how that happened? Not exactly. But that had to be it. Magic and nothing else. Crazy how these things just happen. He didn’t know that was really the case for sure, but that wouldn’t stop him from making a full scapegoat to blame.
At the sight of the trio, Eddy bounded over. There was a moment of him looking over everyone before he got closer to Nifty, suddenly looking more worried.
“Are you feeling alright? You look flushed.” There was genuine concern in Eddy’s voice. He reached out to Nifty, looking to feel their forehead, but Nifty caught their hand and interlocked their fingers. Eddy’s face went blank.
“Eddy I think I might also be feeling feverish.” Richie clamored for the attention, pulling up next to the two and looking eager to have the same touch from Eddy that Nifty was getting.
“I-”
“Sorry I had to leave you with Eddy for that long.” Avery came over and tucked himself next to Jeb, just close enough to initiate contact between them.
“It wasn’t… That bad.” Jeb was trying not to look away from the other three.
“What-ah- what happened in there?” Eddy kept trying to find words over the way Nifty was looking at him and how the two in front of him kept clamoring and shoving.
He couldn’t get a clear or concise answer from either of them… He wasn’t too sure he could actually process anything regardless – Nifty’s continuous touch kept turning his brain off even as he tried to piece things together.
Glancing back at Jeb with questions posed in his eyes, he got no answers, only seeing that Avery was being similarly strange with Jeb.
“We should… We should get out of here.” Eddy said, mostly to himself, but it got Jeb to nod and start to make his way back to the car. Nifty was making him sweat, but his face was empty aside from being beet red.
Eddy’s blank expression persisted as the five piled into the car to head back. He could barely hear Nifty shoving Richie away from the passenger side door and claiming the spot for themselves. Emotionally wounded, Richie grumbled and got into the back with Jeb and Avery, who seemed perfectly content with the arrangement that had Jeb sitting spilling into his seat.
The car started and no one spoke as Eddy brought it onto the street, head and chest buzzing.
-
Driving back to the office was only slightly horrifically awkward. A drive that any normal day would have had Avery insisting he would rather walk. It was the lack of his complaints centered around Jeb taking his position on the hump that really sold the air of unease in the company car. Richie wasn’t even willing to really stake his claim to Shotgun, too scared of what Nifty would unleash if he argued. He didn’t need to cry in front of everyone today.
Jeb was staring straight ahead, eyes glued on the view of the road running between Eddy and Nifty’s heads; Avery’s hand resting open and unheld in the small space between them. It inched closer to Jeb’s similarly empty hand every time the car jostled or jerked.
Sweaty palms were locked into their ten and two positions on the wheel, shoulders tense and head set forward – Eddy was not going to make a remark at Nifty’s hand resting squarely on his thigh. The Smiths droned on through the crackling speakers, not that he could really hear it over the beat of his ever-hammering heart.
Richie coughed, suffocating in the silence.
“So, we uh, we getting lunch on the way back?” He cut through the car’s awkward quiet.
“I don’t know about lunch, but I had a dessert in mind-” Nifty started.
“Nope. Gotta get back to the office.” Eddy cut them off quickly, a vocal crack between his words.
Jeb was only slightly disappointed that they wouldn’t get anything to eat while they were out, but he kept that to himself. Or, he tried to.
Avery was quick on the draw, easily sensing the change in Jeb’s positioning that gave away his letdown. A lightly sun-kissed hand found itself on Jeb’s forearm, gently squeezing a reassurance.
The ghosts of Avery’s fingertips tingled under Jeb’s skin even after he moved it away. The buzz of contact flitted through his arm and found a new home in his chest, making his heart pound and his breathing find new unnatural rhythms. Trying to steady himself, Jeb brought to his mind memories of home and the farm, knowing that would center him. Nevertheless, the buzz persisted just under his skin and within every breath.
-
Cramming all five of them into the office elevator was a monumental task. The three shortest members of the team all had someone they were desperate to stand next to, practically shoving each other to be where they wanted.
When the lift finally came to the stop on their floor, the dam broke and they spilled out from the carriage into the office. Bickering broke out, comments being hurled at each other and violence being threatened. It caught Shannon’s attention instantly.
“You know you can be a little quieter when you come back to the office, but I wouldn’t expect you to – oh? Oh. Ohohoho! ” Shannon started to lose herself in the bubble of excitement that caught in her throat at the sight of the team’s state.
“Shannon is Mr. Bremner still out?” Eddy asked, voice cracking with embarrassment as Nifty clung tightly to him, still mid-threat with Richie. He was refusing to make eye contact with anyone.
“He is!” Shannon’s eyes were sparkling in the stale fluorescent office lighting.
“Probably for the best. Don’t know what I might do.” Richie mumbled to himself, a chuckle on the end of his words. Eddy sighed, agreeing with only Richie’s first sentiment.
Shannon spun around and began rifling through her desk before returning, a well-worn notebook in one hand and a glittery pink pen sprouting a pink puff in her other.
“Sooo, the little inspection? How’d it go?” Shannon was not even trying to hide her prying tone.
“Fine.” Eddy looked around for a place to escape to.
“We got a sample, but doubt it’s gonna be some smoking gun.” Nifty was not looking at Shannon when they spoke.
Although Avery was being far more reserved compared to the emboldened Nifty, his clear lack of disgust and omission of pointed comments reflected a significant change. Momentary looks to Jeb with puppy-like longing were reserved for only the very second no one else was facing his direction. Magic would have to work harder to knock Avery off his image-protecting game.
“We… Need to do a debrief after that.” Eddy’s words were stilted. Jeb nodded, looking frightened and more out of his element than usual.
Eddy made quick work of ushering the team into an empty conference room, keeping Shannon at bay by moving fast and averting around her prying eyes. Once Nifty, Richie, and Avery were through the door, he pulled it shut and leaned against the door, letting himself slip down it slightly as he breathed out fully for the first time in hours. Jeb looked down at him, concern settling in on his face.
“Something… Magic seems to have gotten to them while they were in the warehouse.” Eddy stated the obvious.
“Sure seems like somethin’ making them… act real funny.” Jeb nodded, keeping the statements between the two men as obvious as they could be. They needed to talk it out.
“Well, the tip we got was about illicit flavor enhancers… Which shouldn’t make them act… you know.” Eddy gestured sheepishly.
“Avery is sure bein’ a lot more friendly than usual.” Jeb’s train of thought continued as Eddy began taking hasty notes. There wasn’t very much to go off of. At least not for the only two who hadn’t been active in espionage.
Neither man was willing to admit to the other that there was a little part of them that liked the attention – Eddy because the thought stirred a protected part of himself that yearned and itched, and Jeb because he wasn’t so sure if Avery would appreciate the way his heart fluttered when their hands touched if it was all when he wasn’t in his right mind.
“Nifty’s not usually good with magic affecting them… What if they can’t tell?” Eddy spoke to himself, absently scratching at the scabs dotting his neck as he thought. “Maybe some sort of mind or memory alteration?”
“I’d sure hope that, well that Mr. – Mr. Avery, Nifty, and Richie aren’t bein’… mind controlled or, golly, or somethin’ like that.” Jeb rocked back and forth on his heels, looking over at Eddy’s nonsensical sheet of notebook paper. “Sounds scary.” Jeb frowned.
“I mean we can’t rule it out…” The red patch on his neck was getting larger. An unfortunate side-effect of his patron made the self-feeding itch, something which he couldn’t fight when lost in thought. “It’s possible there was another residual effect that they were exposed to… Something I wasn’t able to detect.”
“Are they gonna be okay?”
“Yeah, yeah… We just have to watch them and make sure they don’t… Do anything they’ll regret until we figure this out.”
“Right, right. Watch ‘em and keep ‘em safe.” Jeb repeated. “I – not that I don’t want to – I just, it’s not really… I’m not sure-”
The door swung open between the two men, cutting Jeb’s thoughts off before they could even finish forming in his mouth.
“Is the meeting of the minds over yet?” Avery’s gaze was focused solely on Jeb. “Those two are getting on my nerves.”
“-and I think we can all agree that Mr. Bremner has some qualities that some could consider really attractive. In this moment. With the way we’re all feeling.” Richie’s voice brought the conversation out to the others.
“Frankly, I don’t agree.” Nifty sounded combative. This argument had been going on for some time.
“I’m trying to be brave about this, Nifty.” Richie’s voice cracked.
“Yeah, well have some taste. What does Bremner have that Eddy doesn’t do better?”
Shannon was in front of them instantly, notebook open.
“God these two have atrocious opinions. And you left me alone in the room with them. What did you expect me to stay in there longer while you two keep to yourselves? Hell no. I did my time.” Avery set his jaw, the real hit of his words aimed at Eddy, but a playful edge lined his sentiments that were fully for Jeb and no one else.
“Do you maybe need some help keeping the peace?” Shannon smiled pleasantly, ulterior motives clear to everyone that wasn’t Jeb and Eddy. Avery wasn’t one to decline her the luxury of fodder for her notes – even potentially out of his mind, Shannon was an important part of the office gossip ecosystem and he needed to cultivate what he could to keep that part of their relationship strong.
“I don’t know – I mean I’m not sure if they would be comfortable with you bein’ around Ms. Shannon, not that I want to be rude, but-”
“It’s fine by me, Cowboy.” Avery brushed past Jeb as he sauntered back into the conference room.
A flush spread across Jeb’s cheeks, his stomach fluttering and heart beating faster than a Beastie Boar could charge.
Once he could move again, he turned to face Eddy who simply nodded knowingly, as if he understood some esoteric secret shared between them and knew the swirling depths of heated confusion that churned within his guts. Butterflies had found their home in Jeb’s stomach and they were not being kind residents.
Eddy himself was starting to sweat under the feeling of Nifty’s gaze.
“Yeah, sure Shannon we might need the support.” Eddy’s words were stiff.
Delighted to be included in whatever was happening, Shannon practically skipped into the room. This was going to be the highlight of her week, she just knew it.
She sat herself down and situated herself by opening her notebook to a fresh page and prepping her pen to begin detailing whatever was said, eager to make the most out of his raw fuel she was going to be served.
Eddy and Jeb declined to sit down at the table, both of them entering the room and hovering at a slight distance, something which seemed to make the other three disappointed. No one made any clear move to get near them though, some sort of odd stand-off making the room feel even smaller and stuffier.
“So. Uhm. How are we feeling?”
“I’m feeling like no one here understands me.” Richie spoke up quickly. “I mean we all… Are… You know what nevermind. I don’t want to get into it.” Frantic looks were being shot between Shannon and Eddy from Richie.
“Richie’s just embarrassed because he has awful taste in men.” Nifty’s tone was snarky, earning a gasp and a slap from Richie.
“Not true. Both of you have the worst possible taste.” Avery interjected, clearly annoyed still. Shannon observed, considered what she’d written so far for the day, and then made her play.
“Maybe they’re just expressing their true feelings! Hidden desires, brought to the surface!” Shannon waggled her pen, the little puffball bobbing enthusiastically. Impassioned, she continued, “Their clear attractions being revealed!”
“No, that can’t be true. Avery has a girlfriend. Whom I’m sure he loves.” Eddy stated matter-of-factly. Shannon snorted, unable to cover her mouth in time.
“No he doesn’t.” Jeb countered, brows raised.
“What? Jeb, yes he does. We met her. She’s all fire and fast driving. Very Avery.”
Shannon’s face did nothing to hide her sheer delight. Avery was in his senses enough to cackle loudly, rocking back in his chair and letting the devilish sound escape him.
“That’s not his girlfriend.” Jeb shook his head, rattail wagging behind him. “Just his friend.”
“But- Avery, he. He likes women?” Eddy sounded like his grip on reality was loosening.
“Oh, honey.” Shannon’s pen was a blur on the page, her sympathetic gaze breaking away from the notebook to look at Eddy as he floundered.
“Look, I never said I was attracted to his social skills.” Nifty muttered to Richie who looked like he was going to explode.
“But, I mean, we all just started experiencing… attraction… to… men today, right? Like after the inspection? It’s a new thing for us.” Richie was having trouble sitting still in his chair. That one got Shannon to slow her roll, an eyebrow raised at Richie. Unseen calculations seemed to run in her mind before she nodded to herself and quickly jotted something down in her notebook, snapping to the next page afterwards.
“God, no way that worked on you!” Avery had been a cackling undercurrent through the conversation, but he finally broke the surface to make actual commentary. He was at least able to bite back a string of less than professional names to call Eddy, but the list of insults Eddy deserved to have hurled his way was more than extensive already.
Eddy buried his head in his hands, confused and slightly ashamed… Not that he entirely knew why.
Nifty, Richie, and Avery burst back into a flurry of squabbling.
They spent the rest of the work day hiding away in the conference room, never letting up the general bickering that, granted, was common place with the team. This time though, the topic never changed.
When it was time to head home, Jeb and Eddy shared the solemn duty to each take their respective teammates back to their apartments to keep watch over them… Not that they could shake them if they tried. It wasn’t worth it to fight them over spending the night.
Jeb called Carl, Avery next to him all the while.
Eddy did his damn best to get Richie and Nifty into his car without them killing each other over the front seat. Richie complaining that Nifty took it from them earlier and Nifty complaining that Richie was a massive bitch. Eddy looked exhausted. He waved a half-hearted goodbye to Shannon, Jeb, and Avery as he got into the driver’s side of his bicker-mobile.
When Carl pulled up, Shannon winked at Avery as they parted ways, pulling her notebook close to her chest and letting out a gleeful giggle.
Jeb took his usual spot in the passenger seat next to Carl, leaving Avery to sit in the back where passengers were meant to be. But alone.
Up front, Jeb was able to take a breath. Spending the whole day swimming in his own head had made it difficult for him to calm down at any other point in the day. It wasn’t usual for him to have spent his time fighting his own stomach and heart to calm down and stop tossing and turning and hammering away as they had been since the investigation.
Jeb slowly turned his head to catch a glance of Avery through the glass separator between the seats. When his eyes met the ice blue of Avery’s with ease, he snapped his head back forwards and battled back the sudden rush of buzzing heat that threatened to overtake every part of him – and he was large, that was a lot of ground to cover.
Avery was making him feel as uneasy as a first-time Beastie Boar wrangler stepping up to the paddock. His heart kept stampeding, so loud he was sure Carl could hear it from next to him, even over the sounds of the car’s engine.
“You alright, Jeb?” Carl’s voice came soft and concerned. Jeb thought for a moment that Carl could really hear his inner drummer… But Jeb had simply been fidgeting and adjusting himself repeatedly, making it clear that something was eating at him from within. Carl hadn’t known Jeb all that long, but he had grown accustomed to the way he experienced the world around him. The half-orc was an open book.
“I’m.. I’ll be right, Mr. Carl.” Jeb didn’t really have the words to put his twisting thoughts together. Carl nodded knowingly. He was a man of few words, but there was something about the two that he understood – not that he was going to say anything. Instead, he just continued to drive the two of them back to Missy’s apartment in relative silence.
When they arrived, Carl winked in Jeb’s direction, something that Jeb did not pick up on the meaning of. He clumsily winked back to the driver, earning a cackle that still rang out as he drove away.
The elevator ride up to the penthouse apartment was quiet. It wasn’t an awkward silence though. The silence that surrounded them was soft and gentle, comfortable even. Despite the elevator having more than enough room for the two, Avery was so close to Jeb that he could feel the air move with his breathing. The hair on his arm stood at attention, the humming in his chest continued on.
Avery had been at Jeb’s apartment before and was an expert in its quirks and host of preprogrammed events. It was hardly a difficult thing to figure out for him – he even had suggestions for if he ever had the chance to meet the real owner of the apartment.
It did not take long before Avery was draped in a hot pink robe and stripped to his base layers. He was comfortable here, feeling eased by Jeb as he bumbled around the apartment and got himself situated in the kitchen.
Drifting through the halls, silent as the snowfall outside Avery slunk into the kitchen to find Jeb doing his best to be in his element.
Avery flitted around him, the gossamer graze of his fingertips moving across Jeb’s back with the motion. Jeb was suddenly all-too aware of the way his skin felt under his touch, even through the fabric.
“What’re you making?” Avery asked, moving past to pull himself up onto the counter in a space close to Jeb but being unused for his task.
“I’ve been hankerin’ for grits. So. Grits.” Jeb gave a timid smile through his tusks. Suddenly he found himself so conscious of Avery’s expressions, worried that the other man would appear disapproving. It wasn’t some fancy city food that someone as put-together as Avery would probably enjoy.
“Sounds good.” Avery chirped, swinging his legs to cross over each other.
Avery found he rather enjoyed the southern classic, even more so because of who they were prepared by.
When dinner was finished and the apartment had taken and cleaned up after them, Avery had rooted through the bathroom and emerged with a container of something that looked like mud but smelled like perfume. No doubt something of Missy’s.
“I think what you need, Jeb, is a little moisturizer.” Avery nodded. Jeb hardly had time to process or agree before the dark-haired man was getting him seated on the couch and was over top of him.
Avery was laser-focused, leaning into Jeb and carefully applying the goop with a delicate and practiced touch. Every part of Jeb was buzzing in a way he couldn’t really explain, but he did know he had to be fire-hot to the touch with the heat that kept rising up from his chest into his face. Avery didn’t seem to notice, concentrated on his task.
Dark brow furrowed over his baby blue eyes made the color stand out, leaving Jeb enchanted. What a beautiful hue – the open sky above the farm on a perfect summer day. It made him feel the warmth of the sun and the comfort of the open air.
When he leaned back to inspect his work, tongue peeking out from his mouth. He nodded, swinging his legs back over and finding a seat next to Jeb – although he was practically pressed right up against him.
Avery applied his own goop mask and seemed to glow even with mud all over his face.
They sat together until Avery started instructing Jeb on how to wash his face to get the mud back off. Jeb did not understand what this was all supposed to do, but Avery was very insistent and very knowledgeable, so he did exactly as he was told. It was sort of fun, he supposed, but maybe he just liked it because of who he was doing it with. He doubted Misty would have been able to get him to participate.
When they were shiny and clean, Avery suggested they watch a movie to close their evening out and Jeb happily agreed, happy to do whatever Avery wanted.
Avery perused over the collection of VHS tapes Jeb’s apartment had stocked. There was a hearty group of rom coms to choose from. Perfect.
Plucking Roxanne from its spot, Avery got the two set up for their movie night.
Avery lounged across the couch, laying with his head propped up on the other side of Jeb who sat plainly on the floor, knees tucked into his chest, eyes straight ahead at the screen.
Engrossed in the magic of film romance, Jeb didn’t pay much attention to Avery as he slowly slid himself closer to Jeb. It was only when Avery adjusted to fully having his head resting on Jeb’s shoulder that the half-orc noticed.
Although his muscles stiffened at the touch - afraid too much movement might startle him, as a cat might – Jeb found he didn’t mind the contact very much at all. Avery’s expression was soft and almost thoughtful as he watched the screen, the TV casting bright dancing lights across his face. Suddenly Jeb was much more enchanted by the man next to him than by what was happening on the screen.
Avery was, by all means, beautiful. Jeb couldn’t help but sit and stare, almost as if this was a fleeting visit by something ethereal and he needed to take it all in before it was gone for good.
But Avery didn’t move away.
If anything, he got closer continuously, an arm getting draped around Jeb’s neck and shoulders at some point. His hand was empty, dangling near Jeb’s own.
Slowly, like sneaking up on a wild animal, Jeb reached up to match their hands together. Their fingers interlocked perfectly, meeting their match in each other.
When the movie ended, neither man made any move to get up. The credits played and went, the screen demanding a rewind staying up before Jeb finally relented. Avery didn’t hide his disappointment well.
“Well. It’s late… We gotta work in the mornin’ and I’d hate to keep you up.” Jeb was reluctant to bring up going to bed, but he had to admit he was getting tired himself. Besides, he’d already broken their moment up. “You can get yourself comfortable… Take the bed.”
“You’re seriously sleeping on the floor again?” Avery crossed his arms. “Making me sleep all by myself in that big ass bed?”
“Well, I – it’s not really for me. I don’t, I mean I’m not really… I don’t usually. Sleep there, I mean.” Jeb fumbled.
Avery got himself up from the couch, placing his hands around Jeb’s arm, tugging gently.
“Come on, Cowboy.” Avery started pulling in the direction of the bedroom. Jeb was strong enough that this would not move him in the slightest, but he found himself being easily guided.
Avery plopped down into the plush bed and reveled in the luxury of it all. Jeb was hesitant to follow, but after Avery gestured clearly, he swallowed his distaste and laid down, trying to make himself comfortable in the too-plush too-fancy bed.
Once Jeb was in his position – one that made it seem like he really was lying on the floor – Avery adjusted himself to be just barely touching the other man, relishing in the comfort of both the bed itself and who he shared it with. Satisfied, Avery let out a long breath. Jeb could feel the warmth of Avery against him. He wasn’t sure why, but it made the discomfort of the bed start to melt away.
“Goodnight, Jeb.” Avery said, eyes closed and content. With one hand he reached out and placed it on Jeb’s arm, just enough contact to make Jeb flush in the dark.
“Night, Avery.” Jeb breathed out, trying to will his heart to quiet down so he could have a chance of sleeping. Once Avery had fallen asleep and his gentle rhythmic snoring began, Jeb found himself relaxing into the consistent sound and under his warm touch, Jeb too fell into a peaceful slumber with a small smile on his face.
-
After what felt like the longest drive, Eddy finally pulled up outside his building. Taking the two back to his apartment, Eddy ensured Richie and Nifty got fed and dressed for bed - all three of them now wearing a different part of Eddy’s extensive Smiths shirt collection. There was only moderate bickering until it came to sleeping arrangements. That turned out to be quite a touchy subject between the two guests.
The one-bedroom apartment only had two possible sleeping spots that weren’t the floor – the couch for one and the other half of Eddy’s bed for the other.
“We’ll just share the bed.” Nifty seemed annoyed that this wasn’t the obvious arrangement.
Eddy flushed. They’d shared a bed before, sure, but this was different. He had been seeking comfort at the end of his rope in the times previous; Nifty was a grounding presence and having another person safe next to him made sleeping easier. That’s all it was.
Well… Okay, of course it wasn’t like he didn’t want Nifty to share his bed… No, that was certainly not the case. Nifty was simply warm and reassuring.
Eddy fidgeted, his skin burned with an itch.
“Maybe I should take the other spot in the bed.” Richie threw out, trying to act nonchalant about it.
Nifty slowly turned to face Richie. Eddy’s already worn and stretched Smiths shirt hung loosely over their smaller frame. That did nothing to diminish the weight of irritation that infected their entire stance.
“Oh yeah, Richie? And why would you want that?”
Richie was suddenly bright red under his blonde hair, “I- Well after today, and you know how we’re all feeling… It’s not because of anything ‘liking men’ related, it’s seriously just this magic whatever! I thought maybe – and I’m only saying this because of today – maybe I could have a turn with Eddy since that seems to be what we all want.” Richie didn’t seem like he was breathing as he spoke, the words coming out jumbled and frantic.
“I’m sure you’ve never thought about sharing Eddy’s bed before tonight.” Nifty prodded at the soft weak point Richie was so clearly revealing. They had him exactly where they wanted, watching him squirm under the pressure. Richie was pressed flat against a wall as Nifty stalked closer with playfully villainous intent.
“No, I wouldn’t! I haven’t!” Richie’s voice was higher than usual, sweat beading on his forehead. Even it was objectively the truth, Nifty’s interrogation was getting to him. “Or maybe I have! I don’t know! Why do you want to share his bed?!” The tiefling had their claws in him and he was helpless against them. False confessions were being uttered under the pressure of their yellow lamplight eyes, shining through to see his innermost demons.
“That’s enough, Nif.” Eddy’s voice came softer than stern. He was tired and his chest kept fluttering uncomfortably, but he wasn’t about to watch Nifty tear Richie apart. Especially over something so trivial as sleeping next to him in bed while both of them were afflicted with something. This could have easily gone on all night.
Eddy reached out and placed a hand on Nifty’s shoulder. At the contact, they relaxed against his palm. Turning from interrogator to indifferent, they relented. They were winning anyways.
“Richie, you can have the couch. Mao’ll keep you company, alright? Nifty can have the bed.”
“What?! That’s not fair!”
“It’s his apartment, Richie.”
“Yeah, but why do you get to sleep in the bed? You were being an ass!”
“Come on, the couch is comfortable. It’s just for tonight… If this continues, we’ll figure something else out, I guess.” Eddy ran a hand through his hair.
“But Eddy-” Richie was pouting, but Nifty cut him off.
“You heard him. Go to the couch.” Nifty was not hiding their pride at winning the slot next to Eddy. Richie cussed under his breath and stalked over to the couch, making sure his footsteps were loud stomps.
“Fine. But I’m not giving back the Smiths shirt. And Mao better spend the whole night with me.” He crossed his arms. “Playing fucking favorites.” He added under his breath. “We’re taking turns if this goes on any longer.”
“Sure, Richie.” Eddy just wanted his friends to be safe and comfortable. “Goodnight.”
As Eddy turned his back to Richie to head into his bedroom, Nifty made sure to turn and make a threatening gesture to Richie, who gasped dramatically and returned it, though he intended the follow-through much less than Nifty did.
Once the two were inside the room, Nifty closed the door and shut Richie out.
Eddy started to get himself into bed, leaving room for Nifty clearly, but not saying anything.
It didn’t take long before Nifty’s hands were against Eddy’s chest, the warmth from their palms radiating through the thin fabric of his threadbare shirt. Wide-eyed behind his glasses, Eddy averted his gaze away from the tiefling who was only getting closer. His heart hammered in his chest under the touch, something Nifty could readily feel.
“Nifty-” Eddy tried to catch his breath. They were so close to him.
A part of Eddy really didn’t want them to back away. That part wanted to close the gap.
Eddy pushed that thought away, though it was difficult… He didn’t want Nifty to do anything they’d regret later when they could think clearly. He wasn’t about to let something like this push Nifty away from him. No matter what they made him feel, it wasn’t right.
“You must be exhausted.” Eddy placed his hands on Nifty’s shoulders, gently pushing them back. Nifty narrowed their brow, clearly not happy with the push-back. “I think you need a good night’s sleep.”
“Eddy-”
“It’s been a long day.” Eddy adjusted them to be next to him. Against himself, he brought a hand up to cup the left side of their face, fingertips just barely grazing their skin. “We’ll figure it out in the morning.” He assured them, managing to keep his voice even despite the way he was jittering inside. Nifty found themselves still against his touch. They opened their mouth to speak back, but Eddy’s thumb delicately moved up and down on their cheek and they found the words losing themselves. Slowly, he moved his hand down and rested it on their shoulder again, giving it a soft squeeze.
“Get some sleep, Nifty. Goodnight.” It took everything Eddy had to pull his hand away from them, but he managed. Nifty’s shoulder was suddenly cold when he moved it away.
Eddy smiled one last time at Nifty before slipping his glasses off and rolling over so his back was to them. Again, he wanted nothing more than to turn into them and hold in the warmth all night, but it felt… wrong.
Nifty sat astonished for a moment. Blinking slowly, they forced themselves to accept what had happened and adjusted themselves in bed, turning away as well, but pressing their back into Eddy’s. The contact was enough to quell the two and they found sleep easily, even if their chests were full and their stomachs flitting and uneasy.
-
Rays of morning sun broke through the cracked blinds of the apartment window in streaks. The light hit Eddy’s eyes first, rousing him from a deep, dreamless sleep. It was not the warmth of the sun that caught his first conscious attention, but rather the warm placement of limbs stretched around him.
In the night, Nifty had shifted to fully wrap themselves around Eddy, their slender frame contorted just enough to have all four limbs touching Eddy.
Perhaps he should have immediately removed himself from the entrappings and got on with his day, waking them up to see how they were feeling after the night of sleep. Perhaps he should have taken their hands off his chest and made it so they would wake without the clear incriminating evidence of how they clung to him in the night.
He did none of what he ought to.
Instead, Eddy rolled his head to the side, bringing his face close enough to Nifty’s that he brought them into focus. Normally stern or annoyed, at rest their face softened into a peaceful expression he couldn’t recall seeing them wear before. Eddy found himself smiling to himself. Heat rushed to his cheeks at the realization and he fought back the impulse to flinch back.
He found himself taking note of Nifty’s face, taking in the shape of their features and how they rested. It felt like an invasion of privacy for him to see the left side of their face so closely. And yet, he looked it over, tracing the shape of the scar carving its way down with a soft appreciation for the rare sight. Whether he was sure why or not, this moment was being treasured. Under their eyelids, their eyes flitted about in their sleep and Eddy let out a breath of a chuckle, finding it cute. Warmth creeped back into his cheeks as he fully realized what he was thinking.
Before he was able to really process anything, Nifty’s eyes snapped open. Their working pupil focused in on Eddy almost instantly and once the realization set in, they flailed to get up and untangled. Eddy began to panic as well, pulling himself out from Nifty’s grasp.
“What the fuck happened?!” Nifty scrambled to get their bearings, desperately trying to fit the pieces of the past twenty-four hours together into a puzzle that made any sense. Hastily they finished untangling themselves from Eddy and fought themselves to sit up. Eddy struggled to find any words, reeling from what he had already experienced this morning. A flush was still fresh in his cheeks and his heart was already beating against his ribs.
“You- I mean, how are you feeling?” Eddy’s panicked tone did not match with the content of his words.
Nifty’s head pounded, things bleeding into place. Sifting dreams from tainted reality, it became all too clear what had gone on.
Magic.
Fighting back against the tidal wave of shock, Nifty gripped the bedding with white knuckles.
“Fine.” They got out through gritted teeth.
“Are you sure?”
“Let’s… Let’s just get ready for work.” Nifty brushed him off, swinging their legs over the edge of the bed and resting their head in their hands. Bile burned at the back of their throat.
Eddy sat quietly, looking at Nifty’s hunched back.
“I’m here if you need anything. I just want you to be okay.” Eddy reached across and gave their shoulder a light squeeze. The bed shifted as Eddy got up.
Nifty sat alone for a moment longer.
In the living room, they heard Eddy waking Richie up. Promises of coffee were being made after he went through and checked to make sure that Richie too was, in fact, okay.
Keeping their breathing even, Nifty brought themselves back down to earth. Beneath it all, there was a part of them that buzzed just lightly at Eddy’s care and regretted not letting his touch linger any longer.
Lifting their head from their hands, Nifty glanced over their shoulder out into the living room. Gold met blue as Nifty caught Eddy also looking their direction. The other man was quick to flush and look away, trying to make the movement look natural and failing. They’d met gazes just long enough for Nifty to catch the glimpse of genuine concern.
It was a small thing, but underneath the waves of anxiety, there was a part of Nifty that couldn’t help but smile at Eddy.
-
On the other side of the city, the morning sun was greeting Jeb in much the same way. Amidst the swaths of white fluffed bedding, Jeb found himself shoved into a smaller section of the bed than a man of his size should have been allotted. Despite being a head and a half shorter and slender, Avery sprawled out entirely and took up as much space as his frame could muster. His breathing was a soft, even-paced snore.
Waking up in the excessively plush bed was not the way that Jeb preferred to start his mornings. How Missy did it was a mystery to him – that was no different than most things she did, making this just one small part of the equation he hadn’t the first idea how to comprehend. However, the impact of the bed’s discomfort was lessened by the presence of the man next to him. Even with one of Avery’s legs digging into him and an arm strewn across his chest, Jeb was more comfortable than he thought possible.
Again, his stomach flipped and he felt the butterflies wake up for the morning too.
Morning Avery’s hair hung in loose curls, the sun bringing a soft highlight to the dark strands. Jeb couldn’t help but stare… something he wasn’t too worried about doing since Avery was asleep at the moment. His social skills didn’t necessarily need to be at full capacity for now. Jeb recalled the blue of Avery’s eyes and wished for a moment that he was able to see the color still…
Jeb was quick to avert his gaze when Avery started to stir. His face twitched and he sucked in a half-snoring breath, starting to stretch. The arm across his chest began to flex, the leg in his side digging in further as Avery woke his limbs. Jeb didn’t move.
With all the grace of a newborn kitten, Avery pulled himself from sleep. Blinking one eye at a time, he fought through, getting his bearings slowly as he stretched and forced his limbs into functioning.
Jeb ignored the fact that he was a little too enchanted by morning Avery.
“Mornin’” Jeb finally said, eyes trained on the ceiling. Avery was processing slowly, taking him a beat and a half to realize that Jeb was speaking to him. Jeb was next to him in bed and speaking.
Avery paled, the black of his hair making the contrast clear as the color drained away.
Still fighting through the stiffness of sleep, Avery shoved himself to sit. He glanced around the room and Jeb, trying to piece together what had happened the previous night. The memories were cloudy, hindered by Avery’s sleepy processing time and whatever bullshit had been in his system.
Jeb propped himself up on his elbows and watched as Avery ran a hand through his curly hair. He ignored the thoughts that he wanted to run his hands through it too.
“We didn’t-” Avery couldn’t bring himself to speak above a whisper, the thought of falling into old patterns with someone as saccharine sweet and simple as Jeb made a pit start to fall in his stomach. “Did we?” The question barely escaped.
“You were real insistent about sharing the bed!” Jeb nodded, so earnest in his recollection of the night before. “I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable, but – well you know – I told Eddy I’d keep you safe, so I thought… I thought bein’ close would be a good idea.”
It was as simple and honest as it had seemed. Jeb didn’t even seem to pick up on any suspicions or accusations Avery was throwing his way. Avery relaxed slightly, some of the tension easing out of him.
“It was… Well it was nice of you to worry about me like that.” The words felt almost foreign in Avery’s mouth.
“Of course, Avery.” Jeb smiled so sincerely. Avery melted just enough, a little awe remaining on his face at Jeb. How this sort of genuine man existed, he had no idea.
The two sat together a moment longer, Avery still getting his bearings together while Jeb sat tracing over the shape of Avery’s face and the way the curls framed it.
“I’ll make ya somethin’ to eat. Momma always says breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” He finally got himself up out of bed, “You can get yerself ready for work. I know you gotta look pretty! But, uh, I wouldn’t mind if you… kept yer morning hair today. I’d miss it.” Jeb got himself out of the room quickly, speaking just over his shoulder so Avery could hear.
Avery’s heart skipped and this time he didn’t have anything to blame.
-
Once the five were back in the office together, Avery was marching towards Eddy, a fire in his throat. On the way to work, Jeb had given Avery a run down of what had transpired the day before from the perspective of someone who wasn’t helplessly lost in the love trance. Avery, of course, placed all blame squarely on Eddy.
“How the fuck did you not put anything together?” Avery was incredulous.
“What? Avery, I-”
“All the clues were right there!” None of this was addressed at Jeb in the slightest. Eddy shrunk back slightly. “All you had to do was ask us what we had done inside and figure out it had to have been the fucking chocolates! What kind of goddamn ‘detective’ are you?!” Avery reached into his pocket and produced the wrapper, dangling it in Eddy’s face with a threatening glare.
“It – I” Eddy sputtered, eyes prey-animal wide.
“In Eddy’s defense-” Richie almost stopped talking the moment he started as Avery’s narrowed gaze turned sharply towards him. Nevertheless, he persisted, though now he seemed a little more conscious of himself, “Being suddenly forced to confront that part of yourself is… Takes a lot of brain power.”
“Oh Eddy met that part of himself a long time ago.” Avery jabbed a finger into Eddy’s chest, making the taller man grimace. “Horrible excuse for a completely butchered investigation, but I-”
Nifty slapped his hand away from Eddy, stepping just enough between the two to allow Eddy room to breathe.
“Give him a break, they were prioritizing watching over us.”
Avery pinched the bridge of his nose, forcing a breath out.
“We didn’t - well I don’t think we thought about that, did we Mr. Eddy?” Jeb racked his brain, running over the investigative conversation he and Eddy had shared the day before.
“No… We didn’t, Jeb.” Eddy admitted sheepishly, refusing to meet Avery’s eye.
“Of course not.”
“Hey, we’re all safe and better now though right? No one is thinking about men. None of us.” Richie coughed out, clearly flushed.
“Richie.” Avery hissed, knowing full well what was going on in his head still. Richie shrunk away from Avery like he was getting shot at.
“Well, uh, maybe we… let’s get the details for a report?” Eddy tried his best to quell everyone and get the heat off of him. He was already scratching at his neck.
“Yes. Start doing your damn job. Jeb you handled everything better than Eddy.” Avery adjusted his stance, annoyed so fast into the work day.
Nifty sighed and grabbed the sleeve of Eddy’s jacket to begin dragging him towards their desks.
“You did your best.” They mumbled over their shoulder, looking more at the ground than at Eddy.
From her corner office, Avery caught a glimpse of Shannon’s ever-watching eyes. A twinkle of delight shone brightly and he knew he would need to get his hands on that notebook of hers one way or another.