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“Can we… Can we include Axel in our kiss tonight?”
“Include Axel…?” Kevin looks over at Axel, who’s busying himself writing. He looks upon Axel in a new light. His striking jawline, well groomed moustache, equally perfected hair… Yeah, Axel was a whole damn vibe Kevin could get behind.
“Yeah,” Kevin blinks as Jakob’s words bring him back into focus, “He’s been mopping about all day because we get to kiss at midnight, and he’s got no-one.”
“Oh, right, that!” Kevin says with a small twinge of disappointment that he hopes Jakob doesn’t pick up. “Then, yes. Yes, we absolutely can.” Kevin beams at Jakob, and adds a forehead kiss.
It must just be the way the Yule candles are lighting up Axel. It must just be Jakob’s giddiness exciting him too. Jakob radiates his energy: the whole room feels whatever Jakob does. That’s just Jakob. Yes, it’s much better to blame Jakob.
Jakob’s gleeful. He claps. Axel looks up at them, and Kevin groans. It’s not a secret plan, if you draw attention to it, Jakob! Sake! Axel simply shakes his head at them, and Kevin hopes... He couldn’t say for what he hopes, but he knows that feeling is hope.
Kevin turns to Jakob. He’s about to say something, but no words come out when he opens his mouth. Jakob near squeaks, his smile wide and bright. His eyes twinkle as he looks at Kevin with gleefulness.
“Right, the plan is…” he whispers before launching into an explanation, Kevin doesn’t bother to pay attention to. His eyes flicker over to where Axel is, still scribbling away.
As the time gets closer, Jakob gets more excited and bubblier. Kevin can just feel the excitement radiating from him whenever he’s near. It actually doesn’t seem to die down when Jakob’s on the far side of the room… It might not be Jakob causing it, but he’s absolutely shamelessly adding to it, and that means it’s still reasonable to blame Jakob for the mood. Jakob’s almost like a little stick of already lit dynamite- he’s going to blow up soon.
“It’s almost time,” Jakob squeaks, like the noise is not actually human. Axel moves over from the centre of the sofa to let Kevin and Jakob sit together. Jakob sighs, but accepts the new seating arrangement.
Jakob LOUDLY declares he needs to get a drink, and Kevin sighs, trying to mask a groan. Jakob signals to him to move, his head tipping towards the bathroom. Kevin sighs again, “I gotta pee real quick,” he informs Axel. He somewhat bafflingly goes all the way to the bathroom to pretend to use it. Jakob’s made him feel like he’s going crazy for years, and he’s starting this new year strong too.
Jakob meets him in the hallway on his way back. He whispers the plan again like it’s not the seventh time Kevin’s heard it just this hour alone.
Jakob walks round and sits on one side of Axel, pushing him back to the centre of the sofa, and Kevin plops himself down on the other. Axel’s ended up between the two of them, a little squashed, he tries to reposition himself while trying not to look as uncomfortable as he feels.
“Shouldn’t… Shouldn’t you two be…?” Axel says quickly pointing between the two of them, but Jakob drowns him out loudly shouting the countdown.
“6…!” he somehow gets more giddy with each number he counts down. Kevin just sighs. Any element of surprise will probably be lost for Axel at this point.
“3… 2… 1”
On one, both Jakob and Kevin turn to Axel and kiss a cheek each. Axel blushes, but it’s not noticed by Jakob who is almost uncontrollable with his giddiness. He’s stood up, and is wandering aimlessly around the room- like a puppy with the zoomies. Kevin rolls his eyes at Jakob’s display, and chuckles into his coffee cup- it’s cold. It has been for hours. He felt sure Jakob would calm once his plan came into fruition, but Jakob’s still acting like it’s the most exciting thing ever to happen ever.
Kevin has noticed Axel’s blush. It’s gone by the time Jakob’s calm enough to talk, and pay attention to what’s actually going around him. Kevin doesn’t say anything. He’s not going to draw attention to it. But then Jakob’s asking how was that? like they’d just fucked or something, and Kevin wants to again pretend to go the bathroom.
Axel fumbles, trying to form words. Kevin saves him, “You don’t have to answer that, Axel,” he reassures. “Don’t answer that, Axel,” he corrects after a beat, and Axel laughs.
It seems to break some unrecognised tension, and Kevin laughs too. Jakob hasn’t stopped: still high from when he hatched this plan at like 10am yesterday morning.
“Okay, okay,” Jakob says, “So, it was just a kiss on the cheek,” he stops pacing and looks at Axel, “but hey! Least you didn’t… Least you weren’t left out!” Jakob settles on.
Yeah, sure, not left out… Kevin accidentally says it out loud, and it seems to stop time.
Jakob stares at him, mouth open in a way that silently asks Kevin to explain.
“It’s alright, Kevin,” Axel sighs, he pats Kevin’s knee that’s not moved since he brushed against him when sitting.
Jakob blinks, searching the two of them rapidly looking for something, anything, an answer to any one of the million questions he had spinning in his head. He slowly lowers himself to the floor, ending up crossed legged, just the other side of the coffee table. It felt wrong to be standing over them somehow.
“What?” he finally manages, “What am I missing?”
“Everything Jakob,” Kevin sighs, “As always” he adds with an eye roll that was absolutely not needed.
“There’s what now and…” Jakob points between the two of them, his words as mumbled as his head feels. Axel nods towards him, and Jakob turns his pointer finger to himself. Axel nods again, smile growing, encouraging. Jakob then draws a triangle with each of them as a point, and Axel nods like a bobblehead figure. Jakob redraws the triangle counting 1, 2, and 3 this time. Kevin slaps his own face- a very literal, loud face palm. These two are going to kill him: he hopes it’ll be a quick and painless death, but Jakob’s puppy dog look gives him high doubts: it’ll be extremely painful and torturously long. He can’t wait.
Jakob and Axel stare at him, and he just groans in response.
“Wait, wait, wait!” Jakob saves him. “You,” he points to Axel, “And… Us” he points between Kevin and himself.
Great! Jakob’s just added 400 years of torture to his life. Counting it out wasn’t enough. We gotta spell it out too, like it’s not the name of the band or anything…
Axel looks down, his blush is finally noticed by Jakob, who actually displays his full realisation in real time, real slow, on his face.
“Yep!” Kevin says, a smug look on his face.
“Since when?” Jakob shakes his head, and Kevin sees any progress he felt they were making quickly disappear. They’ve all teleported to a point beyond the starting square. It’s painful. Kevin wants a cigarette break. He doesn’t want to start smoking, but fuck, he needs a smoke break.
“Don’t answer that Axel,” Kevin says, but Axel has already mumbled a response that sounded to much like forever to whoever heard it.
Jakob stands, and comes to sit where he was just moments before. The town’s fireworks are still going off behind him. It’s probably been less than 3 minutes, although it feels to Kevin like he’s aged 30 years.
Jakob takes one of Axel’s hands in his two like he’s some kind of agony aunt. Hilarious when you consider Jakob is the sole cause of all the agony. Okay, that might be a bit unfair. But his obliviousness to these things is excruciating. Kevin wonders absently how the two of them ended up together in the first place. Jakob must have made the first move, or else Kevin would still be trying to get them together now… He laughs despite the situation.
Jakob and Axel look over to him like he’s just farted in a crowded lift or something.
“What?” he asks with innocence.
“Never mind” Jakob blinks at him, then turns his attention fully to Axel.
“Do you… Want,” Jakob looks surprised at the word choice, but rolls with it, “a proper New Year’s Kiss!”
Kevin’s so tempted to say yes. But he too looks expectantly at Axel.
Axel’s not making eye contact with either of them, his trousers are suddenly far too interesting, his blush is back, and is a brighter red. Kevin makes eye contact with Jakob and nods. Surprisingly, Jakob understands. He slides off the sofa, and moves to sit in front of Axel.
In a low whisper he repeats his question, but with far more confidence. He adds, “I won’t kiss you until you say, and I won’t be mad if you don’t say!”
“Goddamnit Jakob!” it’s Kevin, but Axel thought it too.
“What?” Jakob asks.
“Just fucking kiss me already!” Axel almost shouts. It surprises Jakob, and Kevin too actually. Before hearing “me”, Jakob was sure it was Kevin’s voice chastising him again.
Axel’s tempted to add a please, as it’s a beat before Jakob seems to properly register his response and makes a move.
Jakob stands, and literally slides into Axel’s lap.
“Fuck sake Jakob! You’re such a slut!” Kevin laughs, filter as far removed as his knee becomes from Axel’s. He’s sadly moved it to accommodate Jakob’s, mourning the momentary loss of the warmth. But Jakob’s leg is warmer somehow- must be all that restless bouncing its being doing since like 8pm. Their three knees once again all touching.
“Jealous?” Jakob sticks his tongue out at Kevin.
“Kinda!” Kevin’s truthful. Axel pats his knee, surprising Kevin with his ability to quickly find it again.
“There’s only one of me.” Jakob huffs, “Wait your turn!”
Kevin laughs. Axel’s hand doesn’t move from his leg, it begins to circle, and slowly slides up his thigh, but it never leaves Kevin’s leg. With his other hand, Axel cups Jakob’s cheek.
Kevin watches with far too much interest. It takes Jakob far too long to settle down his laugh and giddiness. But somehow he doesn’t translate that nervous energy into the kiss. It looks controlled, meaningful, powerful. Jakob takes Axel’s top lip in his own and sucks it a little, before letting go and reconnecting. He sets the pace, allowing his mouth to gather the experience that is Axel.
He tastes like wine, but smells like coffee. Jakob likes that combination. He moans, as he ruffles up Axel’s perfect hair.
When they break for air, Jakob turns to Kevin leaning in. He allows Kevin to take his lips and set the pace. There’s a faint taste of coffee and gingerbread on Kevin’s breath, and Jakob like that combination to. His own breath, well, that tastes of vanilla sponge cake, of course! It smells like it too, but it’s super faint.
Kevin moans, but he’ll blame it on Axel’s hand moving ever close to his crotch. Okay, he’s got long legs, but Axel’s hand is taking longer to travel up his thigh than it takes Jakob to get any idea… He’d grab it and place it where he wants it if it wouldn’t draw attention to it, and right now he’d rather Jakob remain blissfully unaware. Jakob was, although frustrating in his blissfulness, also extremely cute with it.
Jakob moans too, and pulls back. Kevin wonders absently just where Axel’s other hand is. Jakob’s legs are a little than shorter than his… He’s just saying. Jakob’s grinning at him.
“Did you two kiss?” he asks innocently, while pointing at the two of them, knowing full well they did not. Axel’s eyebrows go skywards.
Kevin laughs, “There’s only one of me!” he starts, but he’s laughing too much to finish the sentence. He accidentally looked at Jakob who wasn’t super happy with the impression and it just broke him.
Sighing as his laughter dies down, Kevin licks his lips. There’s a moments hesitation as Kevin acknowledges a deep feeling pooling within him. Axel’s hand is too high up his thigh. Jakob’s moaning and groaning throughout his kisses with both him, and Axel. It’s all too much. Laughter and name calling are a reasonable defence outwardly, but those feeling swirl and are eventually dragged into the pool. The nervous energy is almost as bad as Jakob’s earlier zoomies.
Axel is ridiculously gentle with him, and Kevin is so comfortable with that. It gives him the time and space to deal with most of the feelings he’s wrestling with. Kevin takes his hand from Jakob’s ribs where it settled, and moves it to cup Axel’s cheek. He faintly hears Jakob’s glee, more unnatural human noises. Jakob’s got those for days, apparently.
Their side by side position makes the kiss more awkward than it should be. Jakob hovering above them, clapping like a seal is not helping. Kevin tries to relax into it, although his side feels the slight tug of a painful stretch. He wants his lungs to fill with Axel, wants to taste that trace coffee and feel that wine intoxicating him. To get drunk from the essence of a drink Axel finished hours ago.
It’s a deeply sensational experience, despite Jakob’s grinning face being an eyeball away. He can be so embarrassing sometimes. But they love him.
It’s as if when sharing breath, Kevin and Axel also share an idea, when they break for air they both turn to Jakob and plant sloppy kisses on each of his cheeks.
Smiling, they say, “Thank you, Jakob!”