Work Text:
-Jimmy's POV-
Jimmy sat back in his chair, chewing on the end of his pencil and staring at the bowl of fruit in front of him, trying to work out how to get them to look 3D on his sketch pad.
It was their weekly drink and draw on a Saturday evening and since the uni was still closed after the whole spore disaster (Jimmy's socks were still stained purple and he still had scars and trauma) Scar, Cleo and Bdubs had agreed to let them come to another one. The Fairy Fort was closed for maintenance, so in the end Bdubs had agreed to host at his house.
“That's looking really good,” A voice said. Jimmy looked over his shoulder to see Tango looking at his sketch pad.
“Oh! Thank you!” Jimmy smiled.
“Can I see?” Scar wheeled his wheelchair over and peered at the art. He whistled, “Woah, Jimmy, you never said you were an artist!”
“I'm not,” Jimmy blushed.
“You might as well be,” Grian poked his head over the chair, “That's amazing Timmy.”
“What ya doing?” Cleo asked, coming over.
“Jimmy's drawing fruit,” Tango explained, resting a hand on Jimmy's shoulder. Jimmy ignored the feeling as he did so. He had a bit of a crush on Tango, but hadn't said anything about it to anyone yet. Well, Grian and Martyn both knew of course, but Jimmy was convinced they knew him better than he knew himself.
“Fun!” Cleo smiled, then snapped their fingers, “Ooh, hang on.”
They rummaged around in their bag, then pulled out a pair of pineapples.
“I brought some of these!” They said, “I thought we could share them, but Jimmy could draw them too!”
Suddenly, Tango sneezed. Loudly. Everyone turned to look at him and he went bright red.
“I’m just gonna sort something be back in 5 bye!” He sprinted out the living room door.
Jimmy looked around the room. Cleo, Grian, Scar, Ren, Bdubs and Mumbo all looked as confused as he was.
“What was that about?” Bdubs asked.
“I’ll go check on him,” Jimmy sighed, getting up to go find Tango.
Grian waited till he’d left, then turned to the room, grinning, “So, who wants to bet that they’ll kiss?”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jimmy found Tango sitting on the front step, knees pulled up to his chest and his chin resting on his arms. Occasionally he sneezed into his elbow.
“What’s up?” Jimmy asked.
Tango looked up at him, “Oh hi Jimmy. Nothing, I’m fine.” He sneezed again. Jimmy couldn’t help but find the sound slightly adorable.
“It’s clearly not fine,” he sat down next to Tango, “You wouldn’t have run out otherwise.”
Tango sighed, looking embarrassed at the floor, “I’m allergic to pineapples.”
Jimmy looked up in surprise, “Pineapples?”
“Yes, I’m allergic to pineapples, go on, laugh at me!” Tango buried his face in his hands, “Go ahead and think I’m an idiot!”
“No, I don’t think you’re an idiot!” Jimmy put his hand on Tango’s arm. Tango flinched slightly and Jimmy pulled back, staring awkwardly at the floor, then continued, “And none of the others would either. I was just a little surprised, I didn’t know people could be allergic to pineapples.”
He ignored the butterfly-like feeling that was still fluttering in his stomach from touching Tango’s arm.
“Well, I am,” Tango huffed.
They sat in silence for a moment.
“Can I tell you a secret?” Jimmy whispered, breaking the silence.
Tango didn’t say anything but looked at him attentively.
“I’m allergic to aubergines,” Jimmy grinned.
Tango burst out laughing. His laugh was so infectious that Jimmy couldn’t help but laugh with him.
“Are you serious?” Tango giggled.
“Yep!” Jimmy nodded, “Never been able to eat them. Brings me up in hives!”
“I don’t think I’ve ever met someone who was allergic to aubergines before,” Tango shook his head.
“Well there you go then!” Jimmy smiled.
Tango smiled back at him, and it felt like sun rays were beaming down at him, “Thanks Jimmy.”
“It’s nothing,” Jimmy replied. Tango shuffled closer and placed his hand next to Jimmy’s so their fingers were touching, probably completely by accident. Jimmy tried to stop the hot blush creeping up his face and tried to ignore the almost electric feeling that shot up his arm when their fingers met.
Jimmy looked across to Tango. He hadn’t realised how close he had got, his flickering golden hair looking soft and lustrous. Tango turned his head to look at him and giggled, his red eyes sparkling in the evening light. He was so beautiful, Jimmy thought.
He couldn’t- he shouldn’t-
He stroked the side of Tango’s cheek. Tango shivered, and Jimmy immediately pulled away.
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have-” He started, flustered, but Tango grabbed his wrist.
“It’s ok,” he said, placing Jimmy’s hand on the side of his neck, “I don’t mind.”
Jimmy felt his heartbeat quicken. Tango’s neck was warm and he could feel his pulse, quick and lively between his fingers. His other hand was gripping Tango’s hand tight, and he could feel Tango gripping back. He slid his hand a little higher so it was brushing against Tango’s hair. It was just as soft as it looked and hot from the flames that flickered in it, though not hot enough to burn, and Jimmy traced a circle in it. Tango gave a sharp intake of breath as he did so, and Jimmy, worried that he’d hurt him, shifted his hand back to where it had been.
“Don’t,” Tango grabbed his hand again and put it back, if anything a little higher to be more in his hair, “Please, it’s fine.”
Jimmy rather hesitantly traced another circle, curling his fingers in the warm golden locks. Tango made a small noise, almost like a purr, and Jimmy chuckled.
And then Tango slipped his hand around the back of his neck and next thing Jimmy knew, their lips were touching.
He made a slightly startled noise, but leaned into the kiss, his heart dancing erratically in his chest. The butterflies in his stomach were fluttering wildly, and it felt like being struck by a bolt of lightning.
Then as soon as it began, it ended. Tango pulled away and jumped to his feet panicking. Jimmy got to his feet too.
“Oh- oh my gosh,” Tango stuttered, “I didn’t- I shouldn’t - oh gosh, I’m so so sorry, I-”
Jimmy grabbed Tango’s shirt and pulled him closer, dragging him into another kiss. Tango squeaked, then relaxed, sliding his arms around Jimmy’s shoulder. Jimmy let go of Tango’s shirt so he could take Tango’s waist in his hands.
Eventually, Jimmy pulled away, out of breath but smiling.
“There,” he smiled, “We’re even.”
“Yeah,” Tango nodded, pupils dilated slightly, “Even.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-Tango's POV-
Tango sat on the front step, knees pulled up to his chest and his chin resting on his arms, sneezing. Of course it had to be pineapples, and he had to explain his stupid embarrassing allergy to everyone.
“What’s up?” A voice cut through his thoughts.
Tango looked up. It was Jimmy.
“Oh hi Jimmy. Nothing, I’m fine.” He sneezed again, and cursed himself mentally for doing so.
Jimmy looked concerned and Tango tried not to think about the implications of that, “It’s clearly not fine. You wouldn’t have run out otherwise.”
He sat down next to Tango on the step.
Tango sighed, staring embarrassed at the floor, “I’m allergic to pineapples.”
He saw Jimmy look up in surprise, “Pineapples?”
“Yes, I’m allergic to pineapples, go on, laugh at me!” Tango buried his face in his hands, “Go ahead and think I’m an idiot!”
He waited for the laugh that he knew was coming, waited for Jimmy to mock him.
But he didn’t.
“No, I don’t think you’re an idiot!” Jimmy put his hand on Tango’s arm. Tango couldn’t help but flinch back slightly as the touch sent sparks tingling up his arm. Jimmy pulled back, seemingly a little embarrassed, but Tango just wanted to feel his soft hand on his arm again.
Jimmy continued, “And none of the others would either. I was just a little surprised, I didn’t know people could be allergic to pineapples.”
“Well, I am,” Tango huffed. He hated people pitying him over his allergy too.
They sat in silence for a moment.
“Can I tell you a secret?” Jimmy whispered after a few beats of quiet.
Tango kept quiet, but looked over to him interested.
“I’m allergic to aubergines,” Jimmy grinned.
Tango couldn't help it. The absurdity of it made him burst out laughing. Fortunately Jimmy started laughing too, so he hadn't taken it badly.
“Are you serious?” Tango giggled.
“Yep!” Jimmy nodded, “Never been able to eat them. Brings me up in hives!”
“I don’t think I’ve ever met someone who was allergic to aubergines before,” Tango shook his head.
“Well there you go then!” Jimmy smiled at him, a smile that melted Tango's smitten heart.
Tango smiled back, “Thanks Jimmy.” He knew Jimmy was trying to cheer him up, and he appreciated it.
“It’s nothing,” Jimmy replied.
Chancing his arm, Tango shuffled towards him and placed his hand next to Jimmy’s so their fingers were touching. Jimmy's face flushed very slightly and Tango didn't notice. He ran his fingers over the back of Jimmy's hand, and a warm fuzzy feeling settled in his tummy.
Tango turned his head to look at Jimmy. He hadn’t realised how close he had got. Jimmy was looking at him, his brown eyes soft and gentle and so full of joy. Tango giggled shyly under his gaze. Jimmy was so pretty.
Suddenly Jimmy reached out and ran his hand along Tango's cheek, sending delightful shivers through Tango's body. Noticing, Jimmy immediately pulled away.
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have-” He started, looking flustered, but Tango grabbed his wrist before he could get up.
“It’s ok,” he said, placing Jimmy’s hand on the side of his neck, his skin tingling at the contact, “I don’t mind.”
Jimmy's hand was cool and smooth, and Tango could feel his heart racing. He held Jimmy's hand even tighter than before as Jimmy slid his hand a little higher so it was just touching Tango's hair. He traced a small circle in it and the feather light feeling of his fingers made Tango's breath hitch for a moment. Jimmy shifted his hand back to where it had been when he did.
“Don’t,” Tango grabbed his hand again and put it back. He just wanted to feel Jimmy's hands carding through his hair, “Please, it’s fine.”
Jimmy gently traced another circle, curling his fingers in Tango's hair. Tango purred instinctively and Jimmy laughed. Oh, his laugh! It was music to Tango's ears, and he just wanted to drown in the sound of it.
Tango didn't quite know what he was doing, but he slipped his hand around the back of Jimmy's neck and pushed their lips together.
It was just as good as Tango thought it would be. The warm fuzzy feeling intensified, and everything felt right and beautiful and-
What was he doing????
He pulled away and jumped to his feet panicking. He'd just kissed Jimmy. His co-worker. His friend, who probably already had a partner. An impulsive split second decision that could have just ended their friendship.
Jimmy got to his feet too, and Tango made no move to stop him.
“Oh- oh my gosh,” he stuttered, going to head for the door to go back inside, “I didn’t- I shouldn’t - oh gosh, I’m so so sorry, I-”
Then Jimmy's hands were grabbing his shirt and pulling him closer and then Jimmy's lips were on his again. Tango squeaked, a mixture of shock and amazement giving way to relief and delight. He slid his arms around Jimmy's neck, clinging on and using it to support himself as he stood on his tiptoes to stop Jimmy bending over so far. Jimmy let go of his shirt so he could slip his hands around Tango's waist. Tango felt a thrill run through him as he did.
Eventually, Jimmy pulled away, out of breath but smiling.
“There,” he smiled, “We’re even.”
“Yeah,” Tango nodded, trying to regain some kind of logical sense in his smitten brain, “Even.”
There was a swishing sound and they both turned round to see the curtains closing in the living room. Jimmy laughed that wonderful laugh of his and Tango followed suit.
“I guess they saw then,” Jimmy smiled.
“Looks like it,” Tango nodded.
“We gonna say anything about it?”
“Nah.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Inside, the others were chatting, when Scar looked out the window.
“OH MY GOSH GUYS COME SEE!” he shouted. Everyone rushed over to the window.
“AWWW!”
“They’re so cute!”
“Ha!” Grian yelled triumphantly, “You guys owe me 10 quid!”
Everyone laughed at that. Cleo reached round and drew the curtains.
“Come on, let’s give them a little privacy,” they smiled.
Everyone nodded and went back to their seats.
And when the two came back in, no one said a thing.