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Watching Mud kiss that girl had Book acting rashly.
Kissing someone he doesn't want.
He choked an apology and told him that he couldn't do this anymore, but what hurt worse was watching Mud walk that girl off somewhere.
Book escaped towards the water, needing a break as tears streamed down his face.
Heartbreak is colder than the wind over the water right now, and he didn't know it was possible.
"Book? What are you doing alone out here?"
Mud's voice is soft as it reaches him, and Book doesn't know how he's supposed to react.
But he freezes so tightly that he just knows, in his gut, that it's the wrong move.
Yet he can't move.
"Book? Are you okay?" asks Mud softly, and out of the corner of his eye, Book can see the shorter man stopping beside him.
He's turned towards them, hand reaching out to wrap a hand around his wrist, but it freezes in the air between them.
"I'm fine," mutters Book as he forces his eyes forward on the water as the waves roll in again.
"Book, you're here alone instead of kissing what's his name. Clearly, you're not okay," mutters Mud in an annoyed tone that just sets Book on edge.
"How can you stand there, sounding annoyed, over something that has nothing to do with you, huh? You're a friend, yet you sound like you're jealous!" exclaims Book as he glares at Mud, not interested in dealing with whatever the other man is bringing over to him. "I needed space, and I took it. I didn't need to be followed by your attitude."
"I'm not trying to— Ugh! Look, I'm feeling a lot of shit, okay?! Seeing you kiss whoever that was, it— I only kissed her to make you mad, but then you kissed him! And I— I didn't fucking like it, okay?" Mud's voice is loud.
Louder than is probably necessary.
But not quite as loud as he usually is when frustrated.
"Figure your shit out before you talk to me then," mutters Book as he rolls his eyes and turns to walk back to the party, back where he's needed.
"I like you!"
Mud hollers the words at his back, and Book freezes again.
But this time, he spins around, sand whirling with the movement as he stares at Mud.
"I like you too, so why don't you stop being an asshole and kiss me already?" asks Book as he arches a brow defiantly, watching the words process with the same feeling of shock he sees on Mud's face because he didn't expect the challenge to be his own response.
But Mud gets this determined look on his face as he takes large steps, hands immediately rising to cup his face and tug him in, and nothing else matters except for this. Except for Mud slotting their lips together with a moan that he can't help but echo.