Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Seeing your boy best friend in a dress wouldn't usually spark anything other than laughter in normal person. Though when you think of it Lampert was never really a 'person'.

A round of truth or dare left Kasper with the duty to put himself in a dress and try to drag makeup, horribly. While it didn't hurt his ego, it wasn't something to be proud of either.

Stumbled in Kasper from the closet, his figure covered by a red dress that was bought as a gag gift years ago. Fingertips were covered by long, white gloves and his face was painted like a porcelain doll's.

A laugh escaped him, finding the sight of himself in a tight dress comical. Though it seemed Lampert didn't think the same.

Lampert looked as if he'd entered another world as he stared at his best friend in the dress. His light shone brighter against his will, the power plug on his metal body starting to rhythmically thump against the couch. He seemed to be at a loss for words. And then he broke out of that dreamy haze.

“Lampert? Dude?”

Kaspers voice pierced the air, snapping Lampert back to reality. When he realized what he was doing, he quickly stopped the motion of his tail, his light only glowing brighter from embarrassment.

“I— Uh— Uh.”

He stumbled over his words, his gaze shifting away from Kasper to the floor. An awkward silence filled the room, a silence Kasper tried to break.

“...You know...this was a really good dare, man.”

He said, trying hard to take the deafening silence away. Lampert still couldn't look at him, embarrassed as ever. He was staring at his best friend like he was in love with him, and his tail was wagging like a weiner dog's. Kasper had to have seen that.

“Uh huh... Yeah.”

Lampert found himself staring again.

“Are you even listening?”, Kasper said jokingly, trying to lighten the tension.

“Oh! Yeah...yeah I am!”

Lampert said almost hurriedly. His tail thumped against the couch again. The vibrations of it starting to bother Poptart. Who, displeased, jumped off the couch to get comfortable somewhere else.

“You wanna take a picture as a memory, dude? It'll last longer.", Kasper joked, making Lampert's light shine every brighter.

Lampert nodded. Seeming almost too excited about it, which honestly, he was. He took his camera out to take a picture of Kasper, who was making a stupid face while striking a pose. He took a picture of him, hearing Kasper laugh again after the flash went off.

“I should probably get going, my uhm... My dad told me to go home he needs help with something.”, Lampert muttered out.

That was a good enough excuse, right? Kasper knew all about his family troubles so it made it sounds believable enough. Lampert got up from the couch, wanting to immediately walk away, at least that was what he wanted to do, before Kasper offered him a fist bump.

“See ya later, dude.”

That was their signature goodbye, it's what they did every time. Lampert replied.

“I'll see you later, Kas.”

Lampert said before scurrying himself out of Kasper's apartment. Outside, it was raining. Not enough to damage his circuits, but enough to get him running home. He couldn't risk it, the water probably was extremely dirty, as all rainwater is.

He opted to going to Mark's apartment, since it was closer than both Rokea and Wallter's house. His father was probably passed out on the couch anyway.

He walked into the apartment, that was extremely tidy due to Lampert's need for it. He has organized and reorganized the apartment a thousand times by now.

As he thought, Mark was asleep in the living room. It didn't bother Lampert too much, he just went to his own room and threw himself on the bed. The room was dark, the only light was the one faintly coming from Lampert. He took the picture from his pocket, looking at the picture of Kasper he had taken earlier. God, he was genuinely beautiful in it. Why couldn't Kasper just...be born a girl? It would make things so much easier.

He wanted to cry, but he simply couldn't, his lampshade didn't have tear ducts. He was so pretty he wanted to cry, to sob.

He'd never see that girl again, He did it as a gag. The only 'girl' he'd ever love was Kasper in drag.

Suddenly, a notification popped up on the top of his screen from “Kas <3”. He quickly opened it, the message reading:

“R u ok dude u seemed 2 B in a rush 2 leave :P”

Lampert tensed slightly before replying:

“Yeah. Just had to get home quick, it was raining.”

He lied. He didn't wanna be seen as desperate, though his tone obviously gave it away.

“alrrrr :P bowling alley tmrw??”

“Sure.”

“K nite dude, see u tmrw <3

(fren hart not gae hart btw)”

He always said that. Like he had to confirm it.

“I know that by now. Goodnight.”

Lampert sent back before shutting off his phone, lying on his back and just staring at the ceiling.

He'd pine away forevermore for Kasper in drag.

Chapter Text

Just like that, the day after soon came, so did the afternoon. Lampert hadn't gotten much sleep that night, his mind wide awake, still thinking of his best friend in that dress.

But how could he be blamed?

It wasnt like he could suppress it. His whole life, Lampert had lived a place where everything stayed in order. The same walls, the same store, the same furniture and the same blaring lights;

Just that, Every.Single.Day.

He was used to a pristine,clean store where nothing could possibly go wrong except for a rude customer or two. There was no careless skater to play with his nerves and worry his wires every time he fell off his skateboard clumsily.

...

Then again, he couldn't imagine himself without Kasper.

The one skater that worried him was the same one to hug him thru his parents divorce, the same one who managed to cheer him up whenever his father's fought, when everything seemed just an ounce too loud.

The same one who got him over his intense fear of touching others, or items that seemed ‘unclean’ in his eyes. He was the reason he didn't have to douse himself in hand sanitizer after holding an embrace.

What if he just stuck to the script? What if Kasper didn't happen?

He wouldn't be where he is today. All the progress wouldn't have happened.

Though, his thoughts were soon interrupted by a notification from his phone. It was Kasper, checking up to see if he was still up for the bowling alley later.

“R U still up 4 bowling l8r?”

Lampert picked his phone up, his metal fingers making a sound every time the screen was touched.

“Yes.”

“swag, c u l8er lamps <3 !!

(not gae hart btw)”

“Yes, I know. See you,Kas.”

Lampert replied before putting the phone down again, picking himself up from the bed and getting to his feet.

He changed his clothes, dressing in a brown sweater with white sleeves and black sweatpants. His hand grabbed the phone off the bed as he headed to the living room. Mark was sitting at the kitchen table, a framed photo of Wallter longingly. When he noticed his son walking in, he quickly fixed that expression and looked towards Lampert.

“ 'Ey, kiddo! How're ya holdin' up?”

“Im alright.”

Lampert replied monotonely, not much interest in his voice. Or, his voice was naturally just like that.

“ 'Re you goin' out somewhere?”

Mark was trying to hit up a conversation with his son, they didn't talk much at all after he and Wallter divorced.

“Just out with Kasper.”

“Ya' do hang out wif tha' boy a lot, y'know? Does some on' got a crush on his good o'l pal?”

Mark teased, trying to get a reaction out of his son. He knew there was something going on between those two boys, it was painfully clear.

“What?? Of course not!”

Lampert stammered, a faint light glowing from him like it did the day before when he saw Kasper in that dress.

“ U'huh.. Sure, kiddo..”

Mark said skeptically, leaving Lampert alone for now.

Lampert sighed and got his shoes on, walking out of the apartment. Mark went back to gazing lovingly at the framed picture of his ex husband.

--

Lampert pulled out his phone, texting Kasper:

“Im headed to the bowling alley now.”

“K I will B ther soun”

Lampert didn't reply to the message as he walked thru the entrance of the bowling alley. He sat down on one of the rests where they took pictures often, waiting for Kasper. He got more and more lost in thought, his cable tail starting to thump against the soft material again. He leaned his lampshade against his hand, a faint glow emiting from him.

And soon enough, came the brunette in the red jacket. Before Lampert could greet him, Kasper said from the other side of the room:

“ Hey, lamps!”

The brunette spoke, pulling Lampert out of his daze, yet again. Kasper started walking towards him;

“Hey, Kasper.”

He dapped him up, staying in that handshake for a few seconds too long before letting go. He was holding something behind his back.

“Whats behind your back?”

Well, it was soon revealed to be a bottle of rum.

“Mightve stollen it from my dad, I'm sure he won't notice anyway.”

Oh. Lampert was the supposedly 'trusted' kid, who hadn't even kicked alcohol while he was alive.

“..Won't the police arrest us for underage drinking?”

“The police never show up here, plus, I doubt someone's gonna call the police on us, dude, people aren't that big of losers.”

“If you say so.”

Lampert said hesitantly as Kasper sat down beside him, a small clink being heard from his belt chains hitting against each other.

--

A lot of bowling and , well , drinking later, they were absolutely hammered. The red jacket brunette had a lopsided smile on his face, and his cheeks were flushed. Lamperts metal was warmer than usual, and his light was glowing uncontrollably. They were leaning heavily against one another, meaning if one of them fell, both would.

“Hah..”

Kasper giggled at what seemed to be nothing as they dragged their intoxicated butts over to the elevator, both of them stumbling in. They were going to Kasper's apartment,which was kind of the only logical approach here. Kasper struggled to put the floor ticket in, missing at least several times before getting it in. It was making him absolutely lose it. Eventually, they got to his apartment and stumbled out the elevator. Of course though, balance wasn't their biggest upside right now, and well.. The brunette fell, Lampert falling right on him. Kasper was laughing more than breathing, and Lampert just seemed dazed and horribly confused, absolutely no idea what was going on.

“Huuh?..”

Lampert muttered, his wires all fumbled up. Kasper managed to drag himself off the floor, pulling Lampert up with him as they almost fell yet again. Fortunately they made it to the couch, falling atop one of another. Lampert shifted, his overheated metal body now laying beside Kasper's. Kasper found himself being drawn to the heat of Lampert's body, Getting in a position where he could feel the warmth, which was having his whole body wrapped around him.

“Youre so warm,duuudeee..”

He hicced, Lampert still having no idea what's going on. Kasper was definitely in the right mind, and that was quite obvious. Suddenly, Kasper blurted out:

“Dude I—.. I think my gender is what's in your cup..”

The sentence was barely coherent, and even if you understood it it barely made sense.

“..What?”

Lampert muttered back, looking quite ponderous (I did not just say that.)

“Liiikee.. You know the fluid non binary people driink?.. Yeaah I think I drank too much of it..”

..What.

Now what could possibly be the meaning of this.

“Urgh.. Tell me when we're sober..”

Lampert mumbled, moving slightly and getting his arm to wrap around the drunk skater. This was something he wouldn't even be able to dream of doing when they were sober.

“I wanna kiss you, Kas.”

Lampert said in a slur,looking over at the skater beside him.

“Whats holding you back, dude?..”

Kasper replied, still giggling occasionally.

And then, What lampert could only ever dream of, happened.

“Youre right, nothing is.”

He said before gently cupping the skaters face, giving him a kiss on his lips. The skaters breath tasted like blue jolly ranchers and the rum drunk earlier mixed together. Kasper's hands found themselves holding on to the back of Lampert's shade, his other one still wrapped around him. Lampert's tail was wagging at mock 10 like an excited puppy's, as they shared the kiss. A few seconds later, their lips were forced to part due to running out of air, even though Lampert could've kept going for hours.

“Woah.. That was awesome,Lamps.”

We're the only words that could come out of Kasper. Lampert was shining so bright he could light up the entire room.

“Yeah.. Guess it was.”

--

That night ended with Kaspers whole body wrapped around Lamperts, And lamperts arms wrapped around him. Each other's warmth was enough for them not to need a blanket during the night. Lampert's tail was coiled around Kasper's leg as they slept peacefully, Lamperts light shining ever so slightly.