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I won't deny I've got in my mind now all the things I would do
So I'll try to talk refined for fear that you find out how I'm imaginin' you
Zedaph
“Woah! This one is so cool, where did you get it?” Impulse turned the ring over in his hand.
“Oh, that? One of the angels in my garrison gave it to me.”
The demon stopped his preview abruptly, a frown furrowing his brow.
“What like-“
“No!” Skizz interrupted him, “I know what you’re thinking Dippledop, and it’s not like that- jeez!”
Impulse’s face flushed red as he looked at the floor.
“I wasn’t assuming anything-“
Tango snorted from beside him, “You absolutely were. You really think Skizz was angel-cheating on you in heaven? He’s far too righteous for that.”
“Hey!” Skizz barked, “I’ll have you know that I can be incredibly unpredictable.“
“Uh-huh.” The Blazeborne deadpanned.
“-I bet. You probably add milk before your cereal or- or refuse to alphabetise your bookshelf!”
“Or still ask your barber for a mullet after forty?“ Zed chimed in.
“Hey!” The angel cried in indignation, patting his mullet self-consciously.
“Impulse said he likes it.”
“I do, dear.” The demon placed a reassuring hand on his husband’s shoulder.
“Oh my God. You guys are so old and lame.”
Impulse laughed, “Tango- politely, you’re the oldest here.”
“Yeah, Top, I know you think the leather jacket makes you look cool and ‘hip‘ but it’s just giving midlife crisis.”
“Oh, I think he’s past mid-life, no?”
“Zed!” Tango squawked.
“-You’re meant to be on my side!”
“Just because those two are ‘bonded for life’ or whatever doesn’t mean we’re on the same side.” Zedaph tutted jokingly,
“-I don’t even like you! In fact- get out of my house.”
“This isn't even your house!”
Tango elbowed him in the side and Zed laughed with his whole chest.
They’d been going through an old box Skizz had pulled out of his loft the other day. Seemingly bottomless, Mary Poppins style, it was practically filled to the brim with old, enchanted junk.
It was- nice.
The group didn't see each other as much as they used to. With Skizz and Impulse married and Zed and Tango focussing so intently on their individual inventions, it was more important to organise days like this than ever before. Not that it took much effort- the ‘ZITS’ were rarely apart for very long.
“Anyway,” Skizz said, bringing them all back down to earth. Pointing again to the ring which had started all of this, a simple, unimpressive-looking golden band.
“This was from before I even knew Impy. And it’s an angel thing! We all give each other presents, usually shiny stuff.”
“Oh my God, you’re like a magpie!”
Skizz squinted in confusion. “I'm a… pie?”
Zedaph snorted, Impulse smiled fondly and Tango sighed.
“It’s a bird, idiot. Remind me how long you’ve been on Earth again?”
“Seven years!” Skizz puffed his chest out proudly.
“And you’ve never seen a magpie?!”
“No! What do they look like?”
“They’re brown.” Impulse replied.
Tango visibly bristled.
“No, they’re not! What- C’mon, you guys must know this!”
Impulse furrowed his brow. “I’m confused, Are they not brown?”
“No! They’re black and white! And they collect shiny things!”
”That is not true-“
He liked pie.
Zedaph sat back and watched the chaos unfold as Tango flapped and squawked for a bit longer.
Like an angry bird.
Hah.
Or one of those floppy, inflatable men they set up outside fast food joints.
It was- rather endearing.
Observing was his usual position, when it came to the group bickering, for it really did make quite good entertainment.
The blonde chuckled as the squabble dissolved (as they were prone to) into a playful catfight, the Blazeborne and Angel taking turns smacking each other half heartedly.
Children, honestly.
(That being said, he’d join in without a moment's hesitation if asked).
Zedaph leant back into the faded leather of the sofa and smirked as Tango blindly reached for the nearest lightweight object to smack Skizz over the head with.
Unfortunately for all of them, this object happened to be a thin, enchanted book, pulled straight out of Skizz’s ‘magical box of wonder.’
The second Tango’s fingers so much as graced the leather cover, his eyes glazed over vacantly and he froze where he stood.
The sheep hybrid, who’d been the only one to notice this happen, shot up instantly and ran to his friend’s side, grabbing his shoulders to steady him.
“Tango? Tango? You alright, man?”
The Blazeborne giggled. “You’re pretty.”
What.
Laughing, Zedaph brushed it off. Checking the redhead once over, trying hard not to let his touch linger for too long.
“You seem okay-“ he spoke tentatively, gesturing to the book.
“-Hopefully that wasn’t imbued with some age-old medieval illness or like- I don’t know, the plague.” He batted the object away from them with a stray mug.
Zed watched, frozen, as Tango reached out, trance-like, to brush a strand of hair out of his face.
He couldn’t help the small gasp that left him as the older man’s finger tips brushed his cheek. He wanted-
“Your-“ Tango’s breath faltered. “Your eyes are so beautiful. Like wild heather.”
He coughed awkwardly, suddenly becoming very very aware of the other two people in the room.
“Yeah, you’re a stunner too Tangs, wanna sit down?”
The man seemed to consider this for a moment, “Are you going to sit down?”
What the fuck.
“Uh-“ He stumbled, “-Ideally, yeah.”
“Then sure!” Tango chirped.
Heading back to the sofa, now thoroughly freaked out, Zedaph turned around to Skizz and Impulse.
‘Help me!’ he mouthed desperately.
Both men sprung into action, sprinting to Zedaph’s aid, Skizz fixed Tango instantly with a snap of his fingers whilst Impulse made Zed a cup of tea for all the stress they’d caused him.
Is what would’ve happened, in an ideal world.
In reality, they just laughed at him.
Like, they were basically falling over each other in laughter.
“It’s not funny!” Zedaph cried.
“It… really… is!” Skizz responded, actually panting with hysteria now.
“What’s funny?” Asked Tango.
Zed turned to him gingerly. “Don’t- worry about it.”
“Okay!” His friend smiled cheerily.
Even Zedaph laughed at that. It was adorable.
Finally, finally, Impulse stepped in to help him.
“Tango, dude. Are you sure you’re okay?”
“I feel great! Perfect even, especially since Zed’s here.“
Looking away from Impulse and towards Zedaph, Tango (unfortunately) continued to talk.
“Have I ever told you how soft your hair looks?”
Oh, Christ.
“Skizzz,” he groaned, trying hard to ignore the heat in his cheeks. “-Fix Tango.”
The angel looked sheepish. “I don’t think I can, I mean- shit. That’s uh- I forgot about that to be honest.” He gestured to the book.
“Well, what is it?”
“Uh-“
“Skizz.” He said sternly.
“Eh- I mean it doesn’t really matter-“
“Tell me.”
“It’s a love spell!” He blurted out.
“You are joking.“
“I’m not!”
“No. No, you have to be. Because otherwise, that means you’re telling me that Tango is- what? In love with me?”
“Well I mean, no- He just thinks he is.”
Zedaph winced at that, “Ouch. Thanks, Skizz.”
“Sorry! I didn’t mean it like that.”
“Mean it like what?” Impulse butted in.
“Nothing!” The Angel chimed.
“Okay, fine. How do I fix it? How do I stop-“
He turned around to look at Tango who was currently lying on his stomach, kicking his feet back and forth as he gazed at Zedaph lovingly.
“That. How do I stop that?”
“Oh, it’ll wear off on its own.”
“Phew! Okay, when? Five-Ten minutes?”
Skizz grimaced at him, “Uh, a day?”
“A day maximum.” He clarified.
Zedaph deadpanned him.
“I have to deal with this for a whole day?”
“I mean- it might end before the day is over. Besides! It… could be worse.”
“Literally how. Could this. Be any worse?”
The older man’s cringed outwardly.
“…It could be two days?”
Zedaph looked up to the heavens in a last-ditch attempt for a solution.
Yet it seemed that even the Gods were laughing at him.
-
“Zed.”
Why him?
“Zed.”
Why Tango?
“Zed.”
He would’ve taken literally anyone- anything else over this.
“Zed.”
“What?!”
“I love you.”
He fidgeted with the wire he was holding.
“Mhm.” The Scientist said through gritted teeth.
“-Love you too, Tangs.”
His friend scrunched his nose up at his unconvinced tone.
“I mean it.”
“No.” Zedaph said flatly. ”-No, you don’t.”
He was trying desperately to work on a new contraption. But it was being made extremely difficult by the presence of a very loud, very affectionate Tango. Every time he tried to place a repeater the Blaze would stop him, asking what it was for and why it was ‘flashing like that.’
It felt- wrong, especially since Zedaph knew for a fact that ’normal’ Tango was far better at Redstone than him.
“I don’t understand- why don’t you believe me?” The man’s wide, pleading eyes made him feel slightly weak in the knees, but he pushed on anyway.
“You’re under a spell, Tango.” He tried fruitlessly to explain.
“So?”
He chuckled half heartedly, brushing off the question. Thankfully being saved by the buzzing of his communicator.
[Skizzleman Whispered To you:]
Skizzleman: Hey Buddy, how you holding up?
It'd been with a heavy heart that he’d left Skizz and Impulse’s earlier in the day, but- God, Zedaph had just needed to get out. He loved the couple but they weren’t exactly helpful, not that anyone could be in this situation, but still. Even Skizz’s pitiful looks didn't do much for him.
For the Angel was the only one aware of Zedaph’s- predicament.
It wasn’t ideal of course, he would’ve much rather nobody known. But- well, he hadn’t meant to tell him, it had all just spiralled out of control one day.
It had been- gosh, almost an entire decade ago now. And- goodness, wasn’t that embarrassing, a whole decade!
The party had taken place just after Tango had managed to secure his (if Zed remembered correctly) fifth(?) girlfriend of that year.
They’d all had far too much to drink- cheap whisky mixed with punch mixed with the random bottle of red wine Impulse had found at the back of his cupboard had left the group largely incapable of rational thinking.
The music had been loud, too loud. For it had been some kind of celebration? For a birthday maybe? Zedaph definitely remembered Grian being there because the cleanup of his feathers had taken forever the next morning. He couldn’t recall everything, but he distinctly remembered finding himself alone with Skizz in the living room.
-Then-
The Angel had his arm slumped over Zedaph’s shoulder, who was nursing his- fifth-sixth? Something-th cup of- something.
Cleo had made it which probably meant it was as strong as humanly possible. Seriously, that player was a tank when it came to drinking.
“They look good don’t they?!” Skizz shouted to him over the blast of the music, gesturing towards Tango and his new girlfriend. Zedaph had learnt her name for the first time a few hours ago, he should’ve remembered it but- Well, in fairness, he’d had a fair few drinks.
He didn’t consider himself to be a jealous man but- okay, he wasn’t exactly not jealous.
“Yeah, he does.”
The hybrid watched Tango turn and sway as if he’d been specifically designed to do so. His fire-like orange hair was tied up in a bun, but several strands had escaped during his time on the dance floor. And his dark dress shirt complemented his red glasses perfectly, it was unbuttoned slightly, revealing the delicate tattoo encircling his neck.
It was a gorgeous design, entrancing in every manner imaginable. The flick of its perfect curves of ink, the way in which it dipped slightly below the man’s neckline, leaving the rest of the design up to imagination.
And God knows Zed had imagined it.
The tattoo was a new addition, only a few months old, and the blonde couldn’t honestly say he’d taken his eyes off it the entire time.
Tango looked electric.
“I mean yeah, I guess.” Skizz responded, sounding slightly confused. “-I meant them together though.”
“Oh- uh, I guess so, yeah.”
“Zed,” Skizz said knowingly.
“Nope.”
“Zedd, you know you can tell me anything right?”
“Nope,” he popped the P, “-Nothing to tell.”
“Okay, fine.” The Angel blinked hard against the flashing lights.
“I’ll go first, I'm in love with Impulse.”
“Uh-huh,” Zedaph replied, who had gone back to watching Tango.
“Seriously?! Just an ‘uh huh?’”
Zed snapped back to earth at that. “Sorry, what did you say?”
“I said; I'm in love with Impulse!”
“Oh yeah,” he batted a hand dismissively. “-I'm in love with Tango.”
Pausing, the Scientist considered everything that had just been said.
“Wait! No, I mean-“
“I knew it!” The Angel proclaimed victoriously.
“No-“ He pointed at Skizz, jabbing him in the chest with his finger.
“Nononono, you don’t know anything.”
“I know plenty! Like the fact you’re in loveeee.”
“Be quiet! Somebody’s going to hear! I’ll- Wait, you’re in love with Impulse?”
“Yeah.” Skizz sighed, “Isn’t he just gorgeous?
“I mean…” Zed turned to look at the man from across the room. “-I suppose so. Tad rugged though, no?”
“Hey! You’re one to talk, you chose the guy with the squeakiest voice in the whole place!”
His face was hot.
“It’s… endearing.” Zed defended Tango’s honour.
“…And I like ‘em rugged, for your information.”
“Skizz!” He cried indignantly
-Now-
[You whispered to Skizzleman:]
Zedaphplays: This is hell.
So yeah, in summary, Zedaph’s stupid feelings had managed to somehow make the entire situation far harder than it needed to be.
Maybe in another timeline, this would upset him. But here, he found himself laughing about it, because A) the entire situation was fundamentally hysterical, and B) if he didn’t laugh he’d probably cry.
So he cut his losses, branded the entire situation as hilarious and moved on. Or at least- he’d tried to. For there was a distinct, Tango-shaped hole in this plan.
“What's this?”
“That’s a dispenser, Tangs.”
”I love it when you call me that.”
Zedaph ducked his head to hide this blushing face.
The small, embarrassing truth was that he’d always wanted his friend- no, his best friend to talk to him like this, to think he was pretty, to feel the same way for him.
But this was- well this was all canned, fake, enhanced by the spell. Tango would be so embarrassed when it broke, and he’d never forgive Zed if he egged him on, fed into his deluded fantasy. No matter how tempting it was.
Just think of the blackmail potential!
And sure, maybe, if circumstances had been different and Zed felt nothing but companionship for the man before him, he probably would’ve made a game out of it. Seen how many times he could get Tango to call him handsome. But not in this universe.
Perhaps not in any.
Tango spoke again, apparently oblivious to the tense silence his comment had catalysed.
“What’s this?”
“That’s an observer, it looks at things with its little eyes, see?”
The Blazeborne hummed happily. And Zedaph broke slightly.
“You- you’ve gotta know this, Tangs, you’re the best redstoner I know!”
“Oh, I do know it.”
Zed dropped the fuse box he was holding and turned to look at him.
“So why do you keep asking?!”
“Because it’s cute when you’re smart.”
“Oh, for fucks sake.”
He got back to work.
-
The trip to the Shopping District had been inevitable. (Although he’d been trying to push it back for as long as possible, Tango and the public interacting could only end badly).
The tall, elegantly constructed buildings always made Zedaph feel like he was entering another realm. Certainly one far more distinguished than his literal hole in the ground.
“What do we need?”
We.
“Redstone mainly,” he replied. “Oh, and Shulker Boxes.”
It was on their way to Scar’s shop that Zed saw the first sign of trouble.
It was small, ginger, and giggling.
“Zed, Tango!”
“Hey, Gem!”
“Hi!” She skidded to a halt. Smiling in a way that let Zed know they were in for a hell of a ride.
Why did all the redheads have it in for him today?!
“I’ve actually been looking for you two.” Gem chirped, “-How would you feel about taking part in some taste testing for me? I’ve been practicing baking!”
“That sounds great!” Zed said, despite knowing full well that turning this offer down would be the safest way to contain the threat that was TangoTek. But… he’d always had a sweet tooth. Sue him!
The fairy turned to the man next to him.
“Tango, you in?”
“If Zed’s going, then of course I am!”
-
So it turned out that the reason Gem had been practicing baking was because she wasn’t very good at it.
Okay, she was really, really bad at it.
Zed choked on his first bite of muffin.
Actually, ‘muffin’ was generous. ‘Clump of coal’ might be more accurate.
“This- this is great Gem!” He coughed. “-What flavour is it?”
“Banana!” She answered, thrilled.
“Ah of course,” He tried to scrub the substance from the roof of his mouth with his tongue.
“-Did you use real bananas then?”
“Yep!” Gem said proudly,
“I grew them myself! Of course, replacing the flour with ash from the fire pit was a bit of a gamble but I’d run out and I really don’t think you can tell!”
Zed slowly placed his muffin back down onto the table.
(It made a loud thud).
“Oh no you- can’t tell at all.”
Gem beamed at him.
“Thanks, Zed! That’s really kind.”
“Yeah, he’s the kindest person I know.” Tango said earnestly.
“Shut up.”
The Blazeborn had somehow finished the entire muffin.
Zed (who’d been trying to ignore the other man as much as possible) couldn’t help but gape at the him as he licked his lips and folded up the paper casing.
Every day his friend managed to surprise him. Although, Zed supposed, coming from the Nether, it wasn’t that shocking that Tango had a stomach of steel.
It was, nevertheless, mildly disconcerting.
“Zed.” Gem chastised, confused.
“He’s being nice, there’s no need to be rude. Besides, Tango complimenting you is rare, I’d take it when you can.”
“Oh, he’s not mean! Zed just doesn’t want to hear that I love him because he thinks I’m incapable of feeling that way!”
“Tango!” Zedaph cried indignantly.
The sheep hybrid could’ve sworn he saw Gem’s jaw hit the floor.
”You what?!” She shouted at the same time as him.
Tango picked up another muffin absentmindedly.
“I’m just saying it as it is, guys. Calm down, sheesh!”
Poor Gem looked like she’d just been thrown into the world's most confusing maths exam.
“You-“ She pointed at him.
“And you?” She gestured to Tango.
“Yep!”
“No.”
“Explain. Now.” She said sternly, snatching the muffin from Tango’s hand.
“I was eating that!”
“Well, you’re not eating it anymore. This muffin is my leverage. I’m holding it hostage until one of you tells me what’s happening.”
Zedaph sighed, “Tango’s under a love spell, we’re waiting for it to wear off.”
“I’m not under a spell!”
“You categorically are.”
“Am not!”
He turned back to Gem. “Anyways, it made him follow me around all day, and-” He glanced at Tango. “-Seems to have stolen whatever remaining intelligence he had left.”
“Hey!”
For a second it seemed like the plethora of information was too much for the fairy, as she assessed the pair in shock.
Then she started to laugh.
And didn’t stop for quite some time.
“You’re no better than Impulse and Skizz!”
“Sorry, Zed but- Oh, I think this is the best thing that’s ever happened.”
“Maybe for you!”
“You don’t have to let him follow you, y’know. You could, I don’t know- lock him in a room somewhere?”
“Gem!” The Blazeborne seemed offended by this (perfectly rational) suggestion.
“I… I need to make sure he doesn’t hurt himself.”
“Mhm.” Gem replied smugly.
“Tango, I'm sure Zed would like some of those pretty flowers outside, why don’t you grab him some?”
“That’s a great idea! I’m on it!”
The Blazeborne sprung to life at her words, bolting out the door, toward the flower field a few hundred blocks over.
He couldn’t help but laugh at Tango’s willingness to help. Incesent as it was, he couldn’t deny it was also rather sweet.
His laughter faded abruptly as Gem turned to him, suddenly serious.
“You’re sure there’s- no other reason? None at all?”
“No!”
“Hmph.” She looked out of the window where Tango was now picking flowers. “-If you say so, Zed.”
“I do say so! What else could I possibly get out of this?”
She raised her eyebrows knowingly.
“You two aren’t exactly subtle, you know.”
The sheep hybrid bristled, “I have no idea what you’re implying.”
“Oh, come on! You’re never more than four feet apart unless one of you is dying or dead, neither of you ever listen during meetings because you’re too busy gazing into each other's eyes. I mean, you spent three months testing Decked Out Two for him!”
Zedaph scratched the back of his neck awkwardly, burying his fingers in the wool there.
“Well yeah but-“
“Listen, I understand that I’ve known you for the shortest time out of all the ZITS, but if this- if somethings bothering you, you can tell me. I won’t laugh, I just want what’s best for Tango. He’s- done a lot for me.”
“Look- Yeah, maybe alright?” Zed cracked.
”-Yeah, this whole thing isn’t easy- it’s hard because- I know he doesn’t mean it. But I’ve had over a decade to accept that, I'm okay, really.”
“Yeah, but- that’s the thing, Zed, I’m not so sure he doesn’t mean it.”
“He doesn’t. Okay? Trust me, I would know.”
Tango
He… woke up in a field.
It- was a nice field, all things considered, scattered with a whole range of different coloured flowers.
They were pretty, and smelled even better, but still didn’t explain why he was crouched down in the middle of a damp forrest, holding a bouquet of pinks and blues, Zed’s favourites.
Absentmindedly, he bent down to smell the flowers. As he did however, he was assaulted full force with the memory of what had occurred.
Ah, fuck.
Great job, Tango! Touch Skizz’s stupid curse-ificated book and harass your distinctly uninterested best friend all day about how you’re in love with him! What could go wrong? I can't personally foresee any possible complications that could occur from this!
Looking up, he sighed. He knew he had to go and apologise, but- would Zed even want to see him? Tango’s memories of today were shrouded in fog, he could only vaguely recall where he’d been, who he’d spoken to, or more importantly, what he’d said.
It was like trying to find shapes in coffee dregs, or letters in swirling steam. Possible- but ultimately vague.
Slowly, shamefully, he began his trip back to Gem’s base, beating himself up the entire way in true Tango fashion.
As he walked, the Blazeborne found himself admiring the bunch of flowers he’d collected. Rationally, he knew he should probably throw them away, but- he couldn’t deny they were beautiful. Maybe he could use them as a bargaining chip in order to get his friend to forgive him.
Although, admittedly, from what Tango could recall, Zed never seemed disgusted, or angered by his idiotic words, at least not… outwardly. He was pretty sure he would’ve remembered the sheep lashing out at him. So- perhaps all hope of being forgiven wasn’t lost after all.
All the same, he couldn’t believe he’d fucked up this badly.
The steps up to Gem’s house were old and rickety, yet perfectly furnished with tactical additions of moss and azalea leaves here and there. Tango brushed his hand along the wooden balcony as he took the intricate decorations in.
Another fun fact about Gem's base is that it apparently had very thin walls.
“Tango doesn’t love me! Okay? He doesn’t feel the same way, so drop it, please.”
“Alright, I’m sorry Zed-“
“Yes, I do.”
He watched the sheep hybrid turn to where Tango was standing in the door frame, his bright, indigo eyes were wide and his mouth was slightly open in surprise.
But then he shook his head slightly. As if forcefully bringing himself back down to reality.
“Course you do, Tangs.”
“Zed-“ He felt his voice crack with sincerity.
“I-“ Tango found himself walking towards the man, although he had no recollection of telling his legs to do so.
“I mean it, I’m- There are a million things I want to apologize for. I shouldn’t have touched that book, it was stupid- I don’t know why I thought it would be a good idea, I'm sorry for how I acted around you, I can’t remember all of it but I know I crossed a line.”
He shuffled his feet awkwardly, looking instinctively around for Gem but she seemed to have snuck away during the chaos.
Damn her.
“But I do love you. More than- hell, more than anything. And if you meant what you just said and I’m reading this right- Which, fuck, I hope I am- I just… Well, I just- thought you should… know.” He finished lamely.
The silence that followed was enough to drive a man crazy.
Zedaph
This was not happening.
He refused to believe it, he couldn’t afford to. Couldn’t afford to take a step this huge- to misunderstand. It wasn’t worth it.
No empty confession could possibly be worth losing his best friend forever.
“You’re- under a spell.”
“I'm not!” Tango cried defensively.
“-If I were, would I be able to tell you how much your snoring annoys me? How irritating your chocolate-hoarding habits are? How much I hate your sleep schedule? I mean seriously! Who wakes up at seven in the morning?!“
He had a schedule! Sue him!
But all the same, as Tango spoke Zedaph began to smile sheepishly. “I mean- I guess not. But I-“
“Nope.” Tango interrupted him.
“‘M not lying, not under any spell either. I- fuck, I love you Zee. I don’t know when it started, I don’t know how, I just-”
If you’d have asked Zed later what spurred him on to do what he did next, he wouldn’t have been able to tell you.
But, well- Tango had looked so perfect standing in front of him, and Zed was only human after all. The man’s red eyes were wide, pleading even as he begged Zedaph to believe him.
And Gods- he was beginning to.
No matter how foolish- how idiotic it was, to take this at face value, he couldn’t help but accept that this was Tango acting of his own free will.
He could feel himself beginning to accept that the one thing he wanted the most might just have been handed to him on a silver platter.
Grabbing the lapels of Tango’s leather jacket, he pulled the man in close, so close that they were sharing breath. And for a moment, they stayed like that. Zedaph’s mouth millimetres away from the other man’s, his breathing hot against Zed’s face.
His entire vision consisted of Tango, of orange, red and black. And he pressed the pair flush up against each other, revelling in the older man’s gasp.
“You’re an idiot.” He whispered affectionately.
“Well, obviously I know that.”
Zedaph chuckled at the response and, emboldened by Tango’s lack of moving away, pulled him forward for a second time, gently pressing his mouth to Tango’s own.
He knew his friend would usually be offended at being interrupted but he reckoned the man would find in it his heart to forgive him this time.
His adorable, blundering confession appeared to have imbued Zedaph with a new-found confidence, but- Well, he wasn’t complaining.
And apparently, neither was Tango. The man’s hand practically flew to the back of Zedaph’s neck when their lips met. As they moved against each other, the redhead scratched his nails against the hair there, causing the blonde to exhale sharply.
His own hands found their way to TangoMa waist, pushing aside the heavy leather of his jacket in order to adequately feel the man’s form. His right hand rested on the older man’s hips as the left found the dip of his back, pulling him in impossibly closer as Tango’s tongue ran over his bottom lip.
Zed forced himself to move away as this movement damn nearly caused him to groan into the kiss. They were in Gem’s base for crying out loud! Sure, the woman had vanished but still. It was the morality of it all!
Still, they drew apart slowly. For there was no rush. They had time.
Sure, maybe they could’ve had more if things had gone differently, but- Zedaph wouldn’t trade their years together for anything. And in that moment he sent a brief thanks off to whatever- whoever had allowed their fates to align, their souls to meet.
“I love you,” Zedaph gasped, slightly out of breath.
And, despite his earlier feelings, he didn't think he’d ever grow tired of hearing those words leave his mouth.
“I know!” Tango giggled.
Zed hit him on the arm, “You’re meant to say me too!”
“Oh really? Well, I'm not sure, you’ll have to convince me.”
“Oh, you-“
…They’d squashed the bouquet.