Archive of Our Own ^beta

Okay, Diego. You might be a plucky sidekick, but everyone has their time in the spotlight. You can do this!

Burrows furrowed in determination, Diego drags his gaze away from the mirror and fights the urge to mess up the artfully tousled waves of his brown hair. Guapo? Eh. Good enough. 

He gingerly picks the card on the drawer between thumb and forefinger… not unlike the way one would handle a ticking time bomb.

Instead of defusing any wires, Diego takes a deep breath and tries to untangle the knot of nerves that made its way home in his chest. Diego imagines himself – taller, more muscular, with nicer hair – smoothly walking up to him and looking straight (well, directly) into those beautiful, dark eyes. The words would pour from Diego’s lips like fine wine in a glass on a candlelit dinner date: “I think you’re amazing, and I really, really like you. Would you be my Valentine?”

Like in the movies, he would gasp. Say that he didn’t think Diego would feel the same way. Maybe even flash those dimples in the sweetest smile. Then Diego would bring him into his arms, and they’d kiss passionately before riding off into the sunset on beautiful stallion–

Briiing!

–the ringing of the school bell rudely jerks Diego out of his vivid, romcom fantasy. He puts the heart-shaped card down and wipes his sweaty palms on his jeans before his real heart explodes in his chest.

The little card is stuffed inside the folders of his school papers, a splash of red amidst the white. Thankfully, neither Diego nor the card explodes as he leaves his dorm and heads to their usual meet-up area.

As usual, Diego has to squeak, side-step and sprint his way around various students streaming out of their classrooms. Like he's invisible or something… and not in the cool superhero way.

Some are already, enviously, hand-in-hand and blocking the hallways with their acts of affection, while others hurry to escape the roadblocks of love keeping them from being late to class.

Diego’s done for the day, except for submitting one last research paper at the faculty room. Unlike the poor guy sobbing in the corner, he doesn’t have to worry about scheduled rejection before pre-calc. 

He doesn’t know what possessed him to confess, now of all days. It's like letting a dove escape from a cage, his own heart thudding against the cradle of bone. Perhaps it was the ambience of amour in the form of gaudy red streamers all over campus… or maybe he was tired of pining, longing and never knowing if he ever had a chance or not.

Diego’s usually cowed into silence by the mere thought of him finding out and carving out Diego’s heart out of his chest, holding it in his hand for the world to see.

But right now, Diego feels like he’ll be okay if he lets someone else carry his heart for once. 

When Diego first carved out the courage to put himself out there, he was there with open arms. The only person Diego had ever opened up to, the first guy who welcomed him on campus. 

Even if… Even if he didn’t return Diego’s feelings, it should be okay, right? 

…Right?

Oh, god. This is a mistake. What if Diego just hides in the fountain like an ostrich before it's too late?!

"Diegooo!"

This is the only warning before  five feet and three inches of pure charisma and energy suddenly slams into him. 

“Oof!” The force is almost enough to knock him off his feet, but Diego’s used to catching his best friend. “Hey, Eliano.”

The same could not be said for the stack of research papers held; though with Eliano safe in his arms, Diego didn’t mind as much.

"Thank god you're here," Eliano wails, muffled into Diego’s neck as slender fingers clutch his purple plaid shirt. “I can't do this anymore, Diego. On a scale of one to even, I just can’t.”

He places a firm, comforting hand on Eliano’s back. “What’s wrong? Is your prosthetic hurting again? Are you having a breakdown from acads, orgs or both?“

“I wish it was that simple. But no, I'm done for.” Eliano rests his head on Diego’s shoulder with an overly exaggerated sniff that he knows would make Diego laugh.

Relief and mirth floods through Diego’s veins. As Student Council President and Vice President of the Hartfeld College Host Club, Eliano de Loyola was known for his unflappable, calm, and charming composure. 

It's equally entertaining, and oddly endearing, to see him flip his shit over trivial matters… Just as it's heart-warming that Diego is the only one Eliano shows this side to.

A smile steals across Diego’s lips as he pats Eliano’s back. “What happened this time? Let me guess. You saw Craig Hsiao shirtless.”

Snorting, Eliano pulls back to flash him a crookedly smug smile. His perfect, white teeth are almost blinding, dimples to die for. “I’m pretty sure that’s what you wanted to see.”

As Diego rolls his eyes with fond exasperation, Eliano notices the pile of papers scattered on the ground. “Oh, my bad. Did I make you drop these?” He immediately bends down to grab them, nearly stumbling into Diego. 

“Ah, no, it’s fine, really!” Diego kneels and scrambles to gather all the papers before Eliano could notice the sliver of red hidden between the white. “So, what really happened? Did you get a one-in-a-lifetime chance to meet Michael V. Jordan at the premiere of Dark Jaguar?”

"That's the dream,” Eliano lets out a wistful sigh, eyes glazed over. He’s no longer looking at the papers. Mission Success. Diego nabs them. “It’s pretty close, though.”

Diego carefully scrutinizes the flush on Eliano’s cheeks. “...Sean Gayle?”

“Sean Gayle,” he breathes out with a hand over his forehead, affection played up to the point Diego’s worried he’d swoon on the spot. “I saw him at lunch earlier, and suddenly, he just. Starting talking to me about the charity event with the Football team.”

“Wow! Congrats, man.”

“And! Get this: he wished me a happy Valentines’ Day.”

Bending down, Diego keeps his eyes on the paper, but he can hear the genuine adoration in Eliano’s voices as clear as day. “Is this the part where he announces that he realized he’s been in love with you all his life, broke up with make-up goddess Michelle Nguyen, and asked you out?”

Eli holds out a hand and in his shadow, Diego takes it. His palm is warm and calloused, grip surprisingly strong as he helps Diego up. “If only things were just like the movies. But nope, the make-up goddess came up and said something about this fancy dinner reservation.”

“Sorry about that, Eliano. Sean doesn’t know what he’s missing.”

“Nah, man. It’s fine. Michelle’s tutorial vlogs help me out so much, and she’s so cool. Honestly, they look really happy together. Even if part of me wishes Sean would look at me like that, I guess I’m just… glad that he’s happy, you know?”

“...Yeah, I feel you.”

“Anyway, enough about me. You gonna do anything about that mysterious crush of yours? Maybe something with that Valentines’ Card I saw, eh?” Eliano waggles his eyebrows.

Plastering a small smile on his face, Diego shrugs. “About that... I think he likes someone else. I’d rather watch Dark Jaguar with my handsome, smart, amazing best friend, anyway.”

“Diego, you charmer! Who taught you to be that smooth?” Eli chuckles, deep and rich. “My love life’s shot, but you shouldn’t give up so soon. Anyone would be lucky to have you!”

Before Diego could reply, Eliano glances at his watch. “Okay, it’s almost five. Did you submit your paper yet?”

Diego shakes his head. 

Eliano puts his arm around him. “Come on, I’ll walk you there.”

As they chat about everything and nothing, Diego looks down at the papers in his hands, remembering the red, heart-shaped card once more. A wry smile creases his lips. As he turns his gaze back to the blinding light of Eliano's smile, the card falls from the folder and flutters to the floor. 

The rays of the setting sun settle on the gold lettering on the front, ‘To Eliano.’