Work Text:
Another day, another failed sculpture. Laurance punched the clay and threw it back into the bucket. I need a break. He headed for the sink and began to wash his hands when someone knocked on the door to his dorm. "Coming!" He yelled, hoping whoever it was could hear him, but sooner than later, they knocked again. Laurance sighed, dried his hands on his apron, and rushed to the door. "What do you want?" He opened the door with haste, not expecting to see his best friend before him. Garroth Ro'Meave, with his curly blond hair, gorgeous blue eyes, and soft smile, made Laurance stop in his tracks.
"Can I borrow some of your brushes? I accidentally broke mine.”
Laurance stared mindlessly before snapping back to reality. “Sure!” He chuckled nervously. “I've just got to find them first. Feel free to wait inside." Laurance ran to his walk-in closet and slammed the door.
Don't freak out. It's just a few brushes and nothing else. Laurance took a deep breath and searched for them through all the boxes. Finally, he found them underneath a pile of canvases. He opened the door to find Garroth staring at his finished sculptures drying on the table. "You did these?" He asked, although the answer was obvious. Laurance nodded, approaching him. "Yeah, they're for a class project. We must sculpt the faces of people we love the most.”
“How many pieces do you need?”
“Maximum is six, and I’ve only got five…”
“Who’s going to be the sixth?”
Laurance kept quiet. “Are you not sure yet?” Garroth chimed in. “Oh, I’m sure. I just…lack references. Can’t sculpt someone I don’t see very often.” Although Laurance and Garroth went to the same school, they were in different departments, so they rarely saw each other. It was the separation and many nights of shameful desperation that led Laurance to realize he felt something more.
“Basically, we must pair up the person with a different type of love. For Storge I did Cadenza, for Ludus I did Lucinda, Philia was Dante, Pragma was Aphmau, and Philautia for myself.”
“Who’s Eros?” Garroth teased Laurance by ruffling his hair and tickling him. “Stop!” Laurance begged, but to no avail. It wasn’t until they were practically on the floor that Laurance finally screamed out, “Okay, it’s you!” Garroth’s torture left Laurance panting on the floor, frozen in fear. “Me?” Laurance’s heart sank. As if his brain took over, he sat up, reached for the brush bag on the floor, and handed it to him. “You…You can leave now.” Garroth stood up, eyes fixed on the bag. “No, I’ll help.”
Help? How could he possibly…
“You got what you wanted. You can go now.”
“No. I’m helping you finish your project. I’ll stay.”
Garroth offered Laurance a hand and helped him up from the floor. “Show me what to do. I’ll be your model for the day.” Laurance felt the butterflies in his stomach urging to get out. “This is stupid,” he mumbled, swallowing hard before going back to his station and sitting down, placing the brushes on the floor. Garroth followed and dragged a stool, sitting opposite to him. “Keep your face still, okay?” Laurance dug the clay out of the bucket and smacked it down onto the stand. As he shaped the clay, he felt Garroth’s gaze pierce through him. His pulse quickened, and small beads of sweat began to protrude from his skin. His hands trembled slightly, and only when Garroth looked away could he breathe. Somehow, through his distraction, he was able to shape up a rough form. Now, with his tools, he could finally focus on the details.
“So…” Garroth began. Irene, Laurance begged, please shut up. “I’m Eros?” Laurance shut his eyes and cursed whoever was behind this torture. “It’s just for a project,” he explained, “don’t think too much of it.” Garroth hummed, seemingly deep in thought. “I thought you and Aph—or at least Lucinda—”
“—Garroth, please.”
“I didn’t know you liked me that way.”
Laurance bit his cheek. “Stop teasing me.”
“I’m not teasing you.” Garroth leaned closer, clasping his hands. “I’m not making fun of you, I just…”
He stared, looking to make eye contact, but Laurance’s eyes wouldn’t budge from the clay.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
The question hit Laurance like a ton of bricks. There were too many reasons. Because I can’t lose you. Because I know you don’t feel the same. Because it would ruin our friendship. Laurance became overwhelmed and stuttered, “I-I don’t know.”
Garroth didn’t seem bothered by the answer, but a sunken expression overtook his features. Was it worry? Pity? Laurance couldn’t tell. He wasn’t looking anyway.
“Laur,” Garroth spoke softly, “look at me.”
Laurance refused. He wasn’t going to let Garroth see the truth, especially now that there were tears forming.
“Please,” Garroth tried again, pleading.
This time, Laurance couldn’t hold back. He met the blue eyes that tempted him in his dreams and said, “I didn’t want to lose you.”
Garroth’s lips parted.
“I didn’t want to ruin our friendship, because if I told you how I felt or how much I think about you at night,” Laurance paused to breathe, “I would make things awkward between us.”
Shame and embarrassment ran through him fiercely. He wished a meteor would strike him so he didn’t have to deal with this.
“Laur, I’m sorry.” Garroth moved his stool closer to him.
Laurance sighed. Here it comes. The “I don’t like you like that” or the “I only see you as a friend”.
“I should’ve known. I’m so dumb.”
Huh?
“I thought you didn’t like me because you were always so distant,” Garroth continued.
What? Okay, can he just reject me already?
“Okay, Garroth—”
“—I like you too.” Garroth smiled. “In that way. The Eros way.”
Laurance almost fainted. He pinched himself, convinced that he was dreaming, but instead was confronted with reality and a dull ache. His best friend, also his crush, and the culprit behind countless sleepless nights had just confessed. To him.
“Are you…okay with that?” Garroth asked.
Laurance, frozen and mouth agape, could barely speak. He nodded frantically, clearing his throat. “Yeah,” his voice cracked slightly, “I’m okay with that.”
“Good.” Garroth dried his sweaty palms on his jeans. “I-I’m glad.”
“Cool.”
This time, Laurance couldn’t divert his eyes from Garroth’s. It was as if they were pulling him deeper and deeper into a trance. Laurance shut them closed, rubbing them with his palms.
The air felt too thick to breathe in Garroth’s presence. He had to do something.
Laurance stood up, trying to clean the dry clay off his hands with his apron. “I think I’m done for today, you know? It’s been a long day and—” He faked a yawn. “My eyelids are getting heavy.”
Garroth stood in a hurry.
“Of course, I also have to—um…” Garroth paused.
Laurance gulped. “What?”
“You have something—a bit of clay on your cheek.”
“Oh.” Laurance brushed two fingers across his cheek. “Is it gone?”
“No, there’s still a stain—Here.” Garroth stepped closer, licking his thumb before smoothing it across Laurance’s cheek. Something about the roughness of Garroth’s finger against his soft cheek made Laurance shiver.
Somehow, he didn’t notice Garroth’s hand move to the back of his head, or his face inching closer. And before he knew it, their lips were inches apart. “Garroth,” Laurance whispered, “if we do this, I don’t think I’ll be able to hold back.”
Garroth gave him a soft smile. “Then don’t.”
Laurance surged forward, capturing Garroth’s lips in a passionate kiss. His warm hands caressed Laurance’s jaw and traveled his back, drawing him close, until the fabric of their clothing was the only thing separating them. Laurance’s heart paced. He could barely breathe, but he didn’t care. Their kisses grew desperate, and Laurance was certainly becoming lightheaded. As if he could sense that Laurance was beginning to pull away, Garroth teased his lips with his tongue, an invitation, one that Laurance couldn’t refuse. An overwhelming sensation overtook them both. Heat and electricity rippling through their bodies, Garroth lost himself in the moment. He didn’t realize he’d pinned Laurance to the wall until he felt him gasp and break the kiss.
“What are we?” Laurance asked, staring deep into Garroth’s eyes, cheeks flushed. “What does this make us?”
“Does it matter right now?” Garroth answered, “I’m sure we’ll figure it out.”
“Yeah,” Laurance giggled, stroking Garroth’s short curls.
The pair stood in silence, admiring each other, until Garroth suddenly spoke. “So, was that better than you imagined?” He smirked.
“Shut up,” Laurance rolled his eyes, shoving him away. He picked the forgotten brush bag from the floor and threw it at Garroth. “Leave. I have to finish my project.”
“You sure you don’t want me here for reference?”
“I’m sure I can remember your face just fine.”
“We’ll see about that,” Garroth winked. And with that, he left the room the same way he’d entered, tugging at Laurance’s heartstrings.