Work Text:
Another summer night.
A hot one too.
The summer time was always ridiculous within craterdust, it was often boiling hot. Skateboard always wondered if Windforce did it to hate them all, would it make sense anyways. He was thrown out like the rest of the here, even his friend— or is it boyfriend? He doesn’t actually know . . . They’d only started dating recently. After one drunk night and with him sobbing and confessing right there and then.
Eugh, he cringed thinking of that. Last time I’m ever drinking, Skateboard thought.
But anyways, the two still slept in different beds of the apartment. Mainly because Skateboard had a small bed, and Coil was basically sleeping on a couch. So . . . If they wanted to be in the same room together, one of them would have to buy a new bed.
And they both didn’t have the funds for that.
But skateboard wasn’t comfortable being in the same bed as Coil yet . . . Although he did trust them, took them in refuge and all that. He just wasn’t sure about one thing . . .
His scars.
He loved Coil, even as a friend before, but Skate had old Self-harm scars. From his first days in this place, he didn’t do mentally good. And he’s still surprised he hadn’t gotten an infection from the rusty blades he found by the trash bins . . . Guess the Swords were on his side at the time?
Skateboard sighed at the thought. He remembered every cut he’d done, he hated looking at them too. They brought back memories that he hated, he remembered the blood, remembered the sleepless nights of just doing it, remembering the pain, he remembered everything.
And it felt like a nightmare to him, it’s why he always wore hoodies. To hide them. To not remember them and shut down at the memory.
And tonight? He took his hoodie off. He kept trying to avoid looking down, but even without looking he could still remember it all. He hated it so much. He almost hated himself for it as well.
In the end he couldn’t help but begin to cry a little, felt pathetic but . . . Coil’s asleep. Hopefully.
He didn’t want his partner to see him like this, at all. And sure, maybe it’s good to share venerable moments with your partner. But Coil had never seen his scars, Coil doesn’t know that part of his life, Coil is unaware that he even has those scars!
Skate’s breath grew short, he was on the end of tears here. And since Coil came here he hadn’t seen him cry (other than him being drunk, but that doesn’t account according to skateboard). He blinked for a moment before just letting tears slowly spill out, he held his mouth shut as he stared at the wall. He try to focus on anything, the heat, his day, fuck even thinking of his partner.
But nothing much worked.
Didn’t surprise him much, he’d grown completely to the fact that when he cried too often caused the scars. But he hadn’t done it since he was a new-spawn.
Eventually Skate huffed, choking on a sob while he’s at it too.
He moved out of the sheets of his bed and headed outside of his room, into the living room/kitchen and to the balcony (for fresher air). But he stopped when the sight of the basement door was slightly ajar. That wasn’t new, Coil always left his door open. Skate didn’t know why but it was something he noticed, and never stopped him from doing—even he’d done it himself a few times.
Skate stared before deciding just to look over at Coil, he wasn’t trying to be weird and watch him sleep; but sometimes just watching a loved one exist somewhat made him feel a bit better . . .
He opened the door and attempted to be quiet with the wooden, creaky stairs to the basement.
The basement didn’t hold much besides the boiler for his apartment room. It was more of a storage area for Skate—which it still is, just shoved to the side and some parts being used for Coil. And speak of Coil, Coil had made his side (the right side) of the place completely his. There were a few posters put up (some which were actually old bands Skate listened too and Coil only posted up because it looked cool and another being a picture of one of his boxing matches). His bed was the old couch of the living room, though that couch was DEFINITELY on its way out (Skate should probably get him a bed), he had shelves with stuff Coil seemed to make sometimes, whatever it was with those Biograft parts.
Skate liked the rather smart-crafty side of Coil, he liked the way he made things. It was cool. Coil had once even fixed their oven one time. It was very impressive, Skate wondered how smart Coil really was . .
But anyway, the sight and thought of Coil seemed to clam down skate, and so with a smile he went to go back to his room—
“Skate?”
. . Okay well maybe he shouldn’t have stepped on the bottom step. That one was known for being loud with his creaks.
Skate looked over, staring for a moment before speaking. “y-yeah?”
“What are you doing here, man . . .”
“Uh, just checking on you?”
“At whatever the fuck time it is?”
“. . . Yes,”
Well, he’s definitely not going to make it out with that lie. They’ve been friends for years before dating, Coil knew he stuttered when lying. And it's worse when he’s upset.
“Put that ‘yes’ up my ass, I know you’re lying, dude,” Coil said, blankly staring as he began to sit up on the couch, he’s still tired but he’s down to shove it to the side if something’s up.
Skateboard let out a shaky sigh, looking to the stairs for a moment. Sure whenever to say what’s bothering him. Or lie again.
“I’m just . . . “ He began, looking away still, refusing eye contact. “Too hot, it’s too hot to sleep.”
That was basically true, and to be also true, the basement was warm. But still cold as fuck. So sometimes the two of them hung out in the basement, so Coil wasn’t surprised by that.
Coil chuckled a little before replying, pushing himself back further onto the couch. “You can stay down here then, maybe do something other than watch me sleep.”
“S-shut up! I don’t plan to do that! And you know that!” Skateboard huffed, but nevertheless walked over to Coil and sat down (Coil had moved his legs to the side, fully letting Skate sit down).
“Pfft!” Coil laughed, “yeah, yeah . . .”
Coil eyes looked at Skates before noticing that Skate doesn’t have his hoodie on. He just has some black vest on. “Did you finally take your hoodie off for once?” He teased.
Skate froze for a moment. He forgot about that. What if he saw them already? Is it going to comment on them? Is he going to judge? Have he even noticed yet? He didn’t know . . .
But what Coil noticed is him freezing up, Coil paused before putting a hand on his shoulder, moving closer a bit. “Yo, I, uh, didn’t know that was a sensitive subject? My bad, dude?”
Skate didn’t say anything but it didn’t take Coil long to realise what’s on his arms, he didn’t comment. But he was a little concerned. He couldn’t tell if they were new or not, the heat messed with his vision and it’s pretty dark down here. “Are . . . Are they new?”
Skate froze again, but he answered.
“. . . N-no.”
“Old?”
“. . .”
Coil took it as a yes.
He didn’t judge, but instead he took his hand in his. He didn’t know how to do the cheesy romantic stuff, never learned. He was too busy doing other stuff, and his mentor told him when he was a youngster that it was pointless. But nevertheless, he looked at the scars before looking at Skate. Swords, he looked scared shitless.
“I’m not pissed at you or anything, dude,” Coil spoke, voice surprisingly comforting then what Skateboard suspected. “You have permission to hit me if I ever did.” He joked.
The joke landed, Skateboard chuckled.
“. . . Do you uh, wanna stay in here tonight—Or the rest of the night?”
Skate was still sacred a little, but his tension softened. He wasn’t so sure what to say fully so he nodded, and Coil giggled before pulling his arm down as he fell back onto the couch. Skate gasped as he basically was on topic of Coil. Things felt like they were moving fast but . . . Coil didn’t do anything, just stared before asking,
“Comfortable?”
“. . I dunno, probably.”
“Pfft” Coil giggled, he hugged his partner (he was basically unaware he was cuddling them but Skate didn’t comment on it, if anything he returned it with a roll of the eye and a huff).
“Oh and . . . Uh, don’t worry about your scars or whatever, man. I don’t care, we all go through shit . . And I’m shit at comforting so . . Just sleep, bro,” there’s no fucking way he just called him ‘bro’ at this moment in time.
“. . . Whatever, man, good night.” Skate replied, already going to sleep.
“Hm, good night to you, man.”