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Day number… something of being on Pahkitew Island. Topher didn’t even know anymore, it wasn’t like he had any way of knowing. He didn’t have a phone, with a calendar or a clock. He didn’t even a bag , with shampoo or conditioner. For sure more important than knowing what day it was.
Anyway, he could at least tell it had been a while. Maybe not that long, though? Considering this was still one of the first challenges he had been in, but then again, it wasn’t like they had challenges every single day. That’s what was tripping him up.
Even when there weren’t televised challenges though, every day was still a slog to get through because of a certain someone going out of his way to ruin his day and make him look bad in front of his idol…
Anyway.
Today’s challenge was called ‘Truth or Scare’. A devious pun on the game ‘truth or dare’, reflecting how dangerous an event like that would play out on Total Drama. Only the genius mind of Chris McLean could come up with that one! And Topher let him know of that fact whenever he could!
(“... Yep… Thanks… Topher…” is what Chris usually said in return. It almost looked like he was annoyed with Topher, but that couldn’t be. It was probably the sun getting in his aging eyes. That poor, poor graying man.)
The contestants would watch pictures of them spin on half of a huge screen, randomly select one of them, and then do the same between a picture of either a halo or flames. Truth or scare, respectively (genius!).
Respectfully, Topher didn’t want to do a scare. They were scary. Or disgusting, as Chris put it.
This seemed like a fairly easy challenge day, all things considered. Thankfully, they didn’t have to run around the forest for what felt like the hundredth time. That was really a con this season– the lack of settings, so it felt like the same thing over and over again basically. That’s something Topher should discuss with Chris by the end of the day. Today, though? Fun and fresh!
Sitting around watching others flop and doing just one thing himself when it was his turn? Sign him up.
The truth portion of the challenge was questioned by someone. That alone didn’t make for good television.
Chris explained some foolproof way to make sure nobody was lying about their answers, but Topher didn’t really listen.
He couldn't listen.
First, it was because he noticed Chef on the other side, putting something on everyone over at Team Maskwak.
And then, it was because he caught a sight in his peripheral vision. A red sight. It made him furrow his brows and tense up on instinct.
It was an intern, doing the same job as Chef just for the Kinosewaks.
Not just any intern, though.
Danny.
Topher glared as he got closer and closer, putting what appeared to be a metal collar on the others until he got to Topher.
“You.” Topher basically growled.
“Me,” the intern said. He then held up the last collar, glanced at it, then back at Topher. “Oh. What have we here…” A wide, sharp-toothed grin appeared on his face. “This’ll be fun.”
“Don’t. Even. Try it!” Topher poked his chest in an attempt to keep him away. “Not with THOSE calloused hands!”
Enjoying this too much, Danny twirled the collar in his finger. “Just doing my job, Hair Gel. You know how much you looove bitching about me doing a bad job, so.”
“Oh, so now you wanna be a good employee-”
“Hey! Thing 1 and Thing 2!” Chris called out. “Yeah! I’m talking! Wrap up the little novela you got goin’ on!”
Danny and a terrified Topher locked eyes for a millisecond before the intern all but pounced on him, going for his poor, sensitive neck. Topher’s cries of ‘NOT THE HAIR!’ fell on deaf ears. It took Chef walking over and picking Danny up like a rabid cat to get this scuffle to stop.
“AH!” Ignoring the fresh scratches on his flesh, Topher first exclaimed over his ruined hair, and then realized what was possibly more important but only slightly. “OW! Hey! You put this too tight on purpose!”
“Not my fault you have an abnormally shaped neck!”
If Topher and Danny were animals, they would be hissing at each other 24/7.
The metal collars were for the teams to get shocked whenever a teammate failed to answer a question honestly. Everyone got shocked. Sometimes even both teams. The worst part was that it didn't even go with Topher's outfit.
The challenge began.
Starting off fairly easy (mostly involving truths), but getting harder as the game continued. It got to the point where some people were getting called up more than once.
And yet? Topher still hadn’t been picked.
He should feel thankful that he didn’t have to do a few of these (as Chris said) disgusting challenges, but there was a pit in his stomach that the worst was yet to come. And everyone had to have a turn, so he was bound to do something humiliating on international television that could make him look awful to potential employers! How much worse could he look without having conditioned his hair for days now?!
…Or maybe… Chris was protecting him. Good ol’ Chris, always on the lookout for a fellow h-
“Next up is Topher!”
“NO!”
Topher forgot just how loud his voice could be. That startled everyone, even some forest animals. He was a bit sheepish now, forcing a smile in the host’s direction. “...I mean, nooo… way! …My turn! …Yippee…!”
Normally, he loved hearing his name being called out, but now was NOT the time.
As Topher exhaled in fear, Chris continued, staring as the screen did its little random animation: “--You’ll be doingggg…”
Topher brought his hands close to his mouth as he bit his lower lip. “Please be truth, please be truth…”
The screen stopped. “...A scare! This’ll be fun. Haha!”
Letting out a loud squeak, Topher instinctively held onto his hair, already feeling that it’ll get ruined even more than it already has. All of these shocks were frying his beautiful locks, it couldn’t handle any more!
“HAAA!”
Topher shot a death glare at Danny from behind the camera, who openly laughed at his bad luck. Idiot didn’t even care that he was ruining the shot. How hadn’t he been fired yet? Topher was sick of him.
God, he almost forgot Danny was even here, so now he was supposed to embarrass himself in front of millions and in front of his mortal enemy (of, like, a few weeks or something).
The host read through his cue cards and picked one out. “Awe, don’t be so down, my man! You might like this one!”
“I will?” Topher cocked his head. “I-I mean, of course I will! I’m sure you got an awesome scare for me to do, Chris! Hit me!”
“You… have to act out a scene…”
Acting?! The others had to fight animals and Topher just has to act?! Chris really WAS looking out for him! What a guy!
“...With a partner…”
“Cameraman!”
Topher pointed right at him and refused to budge on his choice. Everyone was confused by this decision, wondering if this was even allowed.
“Can he do that?” Chef was the one who finally said what everyone was thinking.
Danny shot back. “NO, HE CANNOT! He- AGH! ” As usual for him, his words meant nothing and he was shoved right next to Topher, who had the most insufferable smirk on his face.
“Eh. Sure, why not.” Failing to hold back an evil smirk, Chris shrugged it off and let it happen because–
“...And it has to end with a kiss!”
Danny and Topher were staring deep into each other’s eyes. One with a glare, the other with a devious glint.
Then it hit them.
“WHAT?!?!”
?
…Kissing…
?
…Kissing… Danny… ?
?
…?
???
Chris threw his cue cards back. “We haven’t gotten any lip action this season. Not even the ‘kiss the person next to you’ scare from earlier, no thanks to some people’s incompetence.” He glanced at the other team and how Dave didn’t kiss Sky or Shawn. The latter would’ve especially gotten people talking (in this year of vaguely 2010), and the host wasn’t gonna let that opportunity pass him by again.
“Absolutely the fuck NOT!” Danny hissed, all but foaming at the mouth. This was followed by rapid-fire F-bombs and Chef having to hold him back. Again. “This is wayyy above my pay rate, not that you even pay me at all! What the hell makes you think I signed up for something like this, McLean?!”
Chris jokingly held his hands up, as though he was about to get shot. “Your scene partner signed you up! I’m innocent, dude! Take that up with him!”
Danny seemed as though he was about to murder Topher.
Topher, on the other hand, still basically had the YouTube loading circle over his head as the situation fully dawned on him.
What followed was his face getting more red than it had ever been in his life. It was making him sweat, honestly.
Kissing…
And that wasn’t even getting into who had to do that with or how they felt about each other. Or, yet again, this happening so publicly.
“Uh.” Avoiding the angry little man he had to lock lips with, Topher approached the host. “C-Chris! Buddy!” He let out an airy, nervous laugh. “Isn’t this a little much?! Can’t we work something else out?!”
“Nope! Them’s the rules, kid! Either this happens or you could be next on the chopping block next! Plus, time’s a-tickin’! Get it going!”
While still mad, Danny was at his usual level by now. He crossed his arms at Topher, “you really had to pick me, dumbass? Really?”
“I-I didn't know this would happen, dude! You can’t blame me!”
“You needed to act out a scene with someone!”
“I thought we would… I don’t know…” Topher thought about it for a second. “...Need to hit each other with hammers? I DON’T KNOW!!!”
Topher really just said the first thing that came to mind. That sounded so stupid saying out loud.
Even Danny was weirded out by it.
“God… That would’ve been so much better! UGH!”
Nevermind.
Stepping in between the two, Chef brought one of the cameras closer to the teens faces. “Juuust gotta make it extra clear that you two verbally consent to doing this. Or if you don’t, then again; just say it. Don’t wanna start any nonsense discussion with the network. Or with some particularly crazy viewers.” He shuddered.
Danny locked eyes with Topher, then cleared his throat as he glanced away.
Oh!
Okay. So, that was one way to get out of this, because there was absolutely no way that the cameraman would actually say yes to doing this.
“...Uh. Yeah, sure. Whatever…”
…
?
Topher’s face burned even hotter. Especially after noticing Danny’s was as well, despite how much he tried to face away from anyone.
He couldn’t believe this was happening. And now he had even more questions.
But he couldn’t do anything about them right away. He needed to salvage his (potential) reputation from this utter embarrassment on TV.
“...I-I…” Awkward voice crack. Now Topher cleared his throat as well. “I… do agree to this…! …But! …On a few conditions!”
Everyone groaned.
“Here we go,” Danny shook his head. “Her royal majesty has requirements now!”
“Needless to say, the hair is off-limits! My skin is as gentle as a newborn baby’s, so easy on the touching. Watch the shirt, it wrinkles. Also, no smooches absolutely anywhere else-”
Danny gagged. “As if I’m doing that. Don’t flatter yourself, Buttchin.”
“Hey! My chin gives me character! …Anyway,” Topher continued, “the kiss has to be no longer than 2.5 seconds. I’m not that kind of guy. Oh! And do you need chapstick? I don’t know why I worded that as a question, ‘cuz you clearly do!”
Getting a little tube out of his pocket, Topher aimed to apply a bit (or a lot) on Danny, who dodged it and eventually bit Topher’s hand.
“I’m getting boooreddd! Get to it!” Chris hollered out.
It was go time.
Act out a romantic scene… He almost forgot that part at this point. He was kinda too focused on the second part.
“...Alright… So…” After soothing his no doubt now-rabies-infested hand, Topher took a deep breath. “What should our scene be?”
“I don’t know, man,” arms crossed, Danny shrugged. “Pick something. You’re the contestant.”
Topher suggested they find common ground, but Danny shut it down and repeated for him to pick something. Topher suggested they draft a script, and everyone groaned. A Kinosewak reminded him to just do some generic love story, a Maskwark suggested they do a fairytale, and Chris told them all to just shut up and stop wasting time.
Shaking slightly, Topher wiped his brow.
“FINE! I’m deciding, then! Here’s our story,” Danny angrily explained. “We hate each other, we fight, but we end up kissing somehow! Happily ever fucking after! That’s it!”
Topher squinted at him. “...But what’s my character’s motivation, exactl-?”
The others practically yelled with how annoyed they were.
“UGH, you’re insufferable, Princess! You know that?!” Danny lightly shoved Topher.
“Hey! No touchy!” Topher fought back. “...And alright! We can get started… But-”
More groans. Chris had his fingers on the trigger to zap everyone just to feel anything other than annoyance.
“Okay! Okay! I’ll do it!” Topher insisted, then swallowed hard. “...Can I at least get a breath mint-”
“Oh my fucking GOD, man!”
Danny took a big step forward and grabbed Topher’s arms, holding them firmly against the wannabe host’s side.
There was no room for any more time wasted as Danny tightly shut his eyes, and smacked his lips against Topher’s.
The impact made Topher arch his back, nearly falling altogether from how… much everything was right now. It was so much. Too much– the grasp on his arms from such warm hands, the way his face burned to the point it could cause global warning, the uncomfortable posture he couldn’t do much about…
That wasn’t even getting into the kiss itself, which Topher couldn’t even fully process yet.
Danny was kissing him. Danny. That Danny.
Grabbed him and kissed him. With those lips that definitely needed some moisture.
Topher’s eyes were still wide open, and he realized that he should probably close them. Because that’s what people did when they kissed. From what he could tell.
When they pulled away, it felt like it had lasted for an hour but in actuality was merely seconds.
Both Danny and Topher took deep breaths when it was all said and done. Staring into each other's eyes with multiple indecipherable emotions.
And it took Danny a moment to realize that he was still touching Topher, a hand firmly on his shoulder, and then let go to walk a few feet away and not look at anyone at all. He held onto his arms in deep thought. Then facepalmed at some point, muttering about who-knows-what.
Topher wasn’t sure what he was expecting.
Clapping? ‘Ooh’s and ‘ahh’s like a studio audience? A prize?
Instead, he was met by dead silence from the other contestants, at most mildly glad that his team got a point (and no one would get literally shocked).
Not much else.
It… made sense, sadly. No one had that much of a dynamic with him to begin with, so. Not much of a reaction from Topher kissing someone.
Then, a slow clap could be heard.
It came from Chris. “Now, that’s gonna be the most replayed part of the episode, am I right or am I right?”
Popping back into frame, Danny bristled up. “Sure, by the network probably. The part where you forced a contestant to kiss a crew member is gonna go reeeally well for you!” Laying on the sarcasm thick, he rolled his eyes.
“Which-!” Chef looked directly at the camera. “You two consented to! Just a reminder!”
“Besides, it’s not like anyone told you to kiss,” the host stated.
There was some confused chatter amongst the competitors. Danny and Topher glanced at one another in complete bewilderment.
Topher was kinda lagging behind, still feeling those chapped lips work some strange magic on his own. He wasn’t a fan of the taste of cigarettes and how it now lingered on him, though.
He snapped out of it. “Huh? Chris? But- But you said-...?”
“AND WHAT THE HELL DOES ‘IT’S GOTTA END WITH A KISS’ MEAN THEN, MCLEAN?!” Danny grabbed Chris by the shirt collar.
“...PFFT! HAHA!” Chris couldn’t hold back. “...Lotsa things, dude! Kiss on the cheek, a hand, an object, someone else… Even blowing a kiss would’ve been good enough! Haha.”
Topher and Danny’s faces could not be redder.
Danny’s in particular seemed like it would explode like a volcano from sheer rage. “I kissed this goddamn rejected Abercrombie & Fitch model… FOR NOTHING?! ”
Unfazed, Chris had his signature smile. “Not for nothing! Something, something, ratings. But also, again: you agreed to it! Dare I say…” He leaned forward, smugly, “you looked pretty into it, dude.”
Chef had to physically hold Danny back again, this time from clawing off Chris’ face. Chris wasn’t concerned about this in the slightest, as this was a regular occurrence that never amounted to anything.
Topher wasn’t used to seeing that, though. In any other moment, he might’ve tried breaking up the fight… Okay, no. He wouldn’t’ve, because he’d be worried he’d be the next target.
He would, however, say something.
Anything.
But the words weren’t wording right now.
His mind still on that kiss. It was less about how it felt at the moment or what it made him feel afterwards (though, he had some thoughts on those too).
It was more about how it happened. That it happened. So suddenly. So publicly. So…
Fingertips lightly tapped on his own lips as he stared at nothing in particular. Effectively zoning out.
He was so lost in his thoughts, he didn’t notice Chris beginning to explain the next part of the challenge. (Getting shocked by the collar again helped get some of his attention back.)
He especially didn’t notice Danny looking at him. Less angry or confused and more… a bit concerned? Or at least, he didn’t look like he wanted to kill Topher for once.
Danny raised a brow, but quickly had to put his attention elsewhere.
Topher let out a deep exhale.
///
Danny was done with his nightly chores. If you could even call them that.
He intended to run away from the prep for the next day's challenge– some stupid shit having to do with monkeys. God, what a stupid show.
Long story short, every time he tried to let his anger out on something, he would accidentally do his work. And a great job at it, at that. So Chris would ‘reward’ him with more work.
He fucking hated what an accidentally amazing employee he was.
While it was pitch black out, he went for a walk, trying to put his anger somewhere . And if something as wimpy as going for a walk to ‘clear his mind’ (or whatever hippy-dippy nonsense normies tried to push on him nowadays) was his only solution, so be it.
During his walk, he could swear he heard a voice. Not a loud one, but one nonetheless. One he could recognize anywhere.
Following it led him to the beach, spotting a lone figure sitting in the sand (with a few leaves serving as a towel, of course).
“Topher?”
The contestant was mildly freaked out for a second, but it was enough for Danny to catch it and to notice him trying to hide it. “...C-Cameraman! …Heyyy…”
“...Were you talking just now?” Danny glanced around briefly “…To yourself? I mean, that’s not out of the ordinary, but still.”
The gesture of Topher’s eyes going wide as his lips formed a tight line was enough of an answer for him.
It had to be, since Topher suddenly had nothing to say. Do you know how insane that is? Topher? Having nothing to say?
It didn’t feel like Topher.
He’d been like this since the end of ‘Truth of Scare’, though. Danny could tell. He could also tell that their usual banter would be a no-go at the moment.
“...Weird to see you out here. It’s late.”
All Topher did was hum.
Danny couldn’t quite place what the energy of this moment was, but he had a hunch on what this could be about.
Plus, he was curious to know more, so he sat beside him.
Topher barely turned to face him, but didn’t question or dispute his company.
They stared out into the water, gazing at the gentle waves and the stars in the sky. The nighttime breeze setting the tone.
“This is about the you-know-what from earlier, isn’t it?”
Cheeks slightly pink, Topher hugged his knees to his chest. “...Maybe.”
Danny sighed. “Yeah, that was… ridiculous.” He scratched behind his head as he glanced aside. “...And maybe… I suppose I should’ve let you take the lead… I almost cracked your nose back there.”
“No, that’s not it… I didn’t-... Didn’t really-... That was-...” Seemingly shrinking himself as much as he could into his own body, Topher at the moment didn’t seem as bombastic as he once was.
Danny raised a brow at him, implying for him to continue. Topher did so, but it was still mostly inaudible.
When Danny finally asked what he was even trying to say, Topher fixed his posture and took a deep breath…
… ”Ughhh!!!” The contestant covered his face and repeatedly flailed his legs childishly, kicking around some sand in the process. “I can’t say it!”
While watching him behave like even more of a whiny brat as usual was amusing, Danny was intrigued. “Okay, so you do realize that now you have to tell me, right?”
Crossing his arms as he glared at the ground, Topher scrunched up his nose in anger. “I hate it when you’re right. You gotta promise you won’t tell anyone, though.” Danny agreed.
With a deep exhale, Topher eased up and closed his eyes, letting the words fall out: “...Fine. That-... That you-know-what from earlier… That was my first kiss, okay…?”
…
Danny lightly chuckled. “What– that’s it?”
(...Honestly, Topher would’ve preferred if Danny had openly mocked him with that trademark barkish laugh of his. Not whatever lukewarm response this was.)
“...WHAT DO YOU MEAN ‘THAT’S IT’?!” Topher snapped. “I-It was so… weird and awkward! And on international television! With someone I don’t even like, no less!” He gestured openly at the intern. “What would future employers think if they found out about this?! The network! Oh my god , the network… They’ll never hire a freak like me to host…”
The intern just let out a loud laugh ( there it was).
“Number one; all you did was kiss someone. Number two; nobody will give a shit, especially if it was just part of a challenge. And number three; they hired Cunt McLean and kept him around even after going to jail. You’ll be fine. Yes, even after your oh-so freaky degeneracy of… kissing someone, hah!” He finished with an eye roll, but also with a soft smile nonetheless.
The wannabe didn’t agree or disagree with that for a minute, instead remaining pensive as he gazed at the night sky and the soothing water.
Bringing his legs close to his chest again, his arms hugged them tightly. “...It’s still a hell of a first kiss to have… And I don’t really like it… It didn’t feel… right…”
Hm.
That was fair.
Arguing on why he agreed to it would be moot. He didn’t want to lose it for his team, he was being pressured from all sides, and then… there was Danny shutting him up and making him do it. The fact that Topher was so obviously trying to stall right before it happened…
It made Danny wince thinking back on it now and briefly regret his own actions (which was rare for him).
Well. What else was there to say now?
It wasn’t like they could go back and undo it.
And as much as Danny loved to poke fun at him, Topher clearly wasn’t in the mood.
Danny let his thumb grace the side of a small seashell in the ground. “How did you imagine your first kiss would go down, then?”
“...Huh.” Topher let it roll around in his head for a moment. “You know, now that I think about it, I don’t think I’ve ever thought about kissing someone. At least, not enough to have an ideal kissing scene , or whatever.”
The soft sounds of nature filled the air.
“I guess…” Topher continued, and Danny listened intently, “it happening at night would be part of it. That’s when they usually happen in movies, anyway. In a lot of them, after some big argument throughout the day, the characters let it all out at night and-”
The intern rolled his eyes lightheartedly again. “I know of the concept of romance movies, Prettyboy.”
“Oh, hush up.” Topher crossed his arms. “So, at night… Alone together, and not with an audience. Shocking for me, I know… I guess that’s kinda it.”
“...Really? No insanely high standards? No epic love story where some hunk sweeps you off your feet or anything?” As the intern teased, he playfully brought himself closer to Topher, who shook his head with an equally silly smile and lightly shoved him away. “Who are you and what have you done with Topher?”
“Stop being annoyinggg. I just never really thought about it before! But right now… I dunno. Just being alone with someone under the stars… maybe after having a little heart-to-heart… that’d be fine…” Glancing away, Topher had a pink little blush. “Or something. I don’t know. I don’t need to kiss anyone, but if the time is right, then- Okay, now I’m talking too much…”
Eyes wide open, Danny bit the inside of his mouth.
Was Topher… aware of what he was implying?
Describing the exact scenario that the two were in right now?
He wouldn’t be doing… that .. on purpose, now would he? He was just extremely dense… Right?
And maybe Danny was feeling a little impish tonight, but he was going to egg this on.
Worst case scenario? Topher got all mad and flustered. Which was still a win in Danny’s book.
Best case scenario? …Well…
And. Um. ‘Best’ as in objectively a not-violent outcome. Not ‘best’ as in what Danny would prefer would happen. A very important distinction to make just in case.
“...That back there was your first stage kiss-”
“But we weren’t on stage… And we were barely acting…”
Danny scowled at his stupidity, but didn’t insult him. For now. “What I mean is… it doesn’t count. Not if you don’t want it to count, anyway.”
“Oh…” Topher looked less upset now. “...Then, yeah. I don’t want it to count.”
“...So, if you’re… looking to have your first real one… you could maybe… consider…”
God. What was Danny doing? Why was he doing this?
Topher cocked his head. “Consider… what?”
Somehow, Danny was starting to feel jittery. He’d had tons of experience in the past, not to mention already having kissed Topher that very same day, and yet.
Alone. Together. At night.
The time was right.
Then it dawned on Topher, who blushed hard again. Danny had never seen him so frequently, easily flustered in his life.
“...Oh! Us?! Like- …Like, …we? You and me doing… that… Again?! For real this time?!” He went from blushy to skeptical real quick. “Wait, are you just messing with me?”
Okay, fair question.
“...No! No, I’m serious, really… Promise.”
“And why would you want to kiss me again, for real this time?”
Danny had been wondering that about himself this entire fucking time, too.
He thought that putting his index finger up and opening his mouth would finally make the reason come out, but nothing did. He was completely and utterly stumped.
Raising a brow, Topher smirked in that way that Danny already realized would be bad news. Nothing good came from that look.
“...Oh?” Topher said, teasingly.
“What? …What do you mean ‘oh’...?”
More smug than ever before, Topher leaned his face in closer, nearly squishing their cheeks together. “ Ohhh... ”
“WHAT?! I-” Danny bit his tongue. Literally. Poking out of his mouth a little as he furrowed his brows but avoided eye contact. “I’m not implying anything… if that’s what you’re implying, bozo…”
If Danny didn’t know why he himself was suggesting this, then what the fuck would Topher think that Danny’s motivations were?
“Dannyyy…” Topher practically sang, fluttering his eyelashes. “...You could’ve just said you just haven’t had enough of me.”
Danny short-circuited.
“...WHAT?! No! I didn’t-”
“Shhh.” Topher put a finger on the other’s lips. “I get it, dude. I am hard to resist, but I didn’t think I’d be this good at something I’ve never done before!”
Getting Topher’s hand away from him, Danny bristled up. “NO! SHUT UP! That’s NOT what’s going on! STOP TALKING!”
Topher hummed knowingly. “Then what is going on, hm? Why did you offer to kiss me– not just a second time, but as a real kiss now? What would make this different from the first? …And why did you go out of your way to talk to me right now?”
“I just so happened to be walking by-”
“But you stopped here. For me. You could be doing anything, especially getting some much-needed beauty sleep. I see those eyebags, hun. And yet you’re here-”
“GODDD!” Danny held his own face. “Stop it- Stop-...! What’s wrong with you?! Throwing all of that onto me!”
The contestant remained coy, knowing that he was pushing the right buttons. “Throwing all of what at you, Cameraman? …And whyyy did you even agree to the stage kiss in the first place? You could’ve backed out right then and there.”
Again, Danny didn’t get why he himself was so insistent on redoing the kiss. Other than kinda feeling weird about that atrocity being Topher’s first kiss.
But he knew what Topher was trying to get at– Danny having gay little feelings for him– and he was not going to let that giant-haired freak run with that narrative.
“ YOU KNOW WHAT YOU’RE- Ughhh. Bitch, fine. Two can play that game,” Danny cracked his knuckles. “Why did you immediately pick me to be your scene partner?!”
“You were being annoying and I didn’t know we would-”
“ No. You could’ve picked anyone else and you would’ve been better off.”
Topher tensed up. “No, I wouldn’t-”
“No dynamics in play, no rapport, no reason to sabotage each other. It would’ve been a completely neutral playing field. And yet you chose me. Someone you hate so much-”
“Because it’s you!” Topher said a little too loudly. “If I needed a scene partner, I wanted it to be someone who made me feel something!”
Maybe he said too much.
And maybe it was too quiet now.
When they locked eyes, it was as though they couldn’t look away. They were in too deep.
They’d gotten closer, not enough to touch but just enough to feel the heat radiating off of each other’s bodies.
“...What do I make you feel?”
If it was possible for them to communicate without words, that’s what they were doing.
The touching came in the form of their fingers slowly interlocking with one another in the sand.
Looking down at this, Topher let out something between a chuckle and a hum. “God. What don’t you make me feel?”
Topher looked back up with an affectionate smile. Danny’s free hand moved of its own volition, placing itself cupping Topher’s cheek.
This kiss was nothing like their first one.
Danny’s touch was surprisingly gentle (as much as it could be). His lips were still extremely chapped, but he was skilled enough to make up for it.
Topher didn’t even mind when the intern’s hand slid up from the back of his neck to his head, fingers intertwined with his beloved hair.
Whatever Topher had said ages ago about only wanting a kiss that lasted a few seconds was out the window. While it stayed chaste, they did come up for air only to keep going over and over again.
It was addicting. It was exciting. It was comfortable. It… felt right.