Work Text:
The cafe isn't a very populated place in this time of year, with the usual college students either going insane in their dorms, or on a holiday someplace else. For half of the school, their post-exam break has come, for the unlucky others, it's hell on earth.
In a table seated by the windows, Snowbird scribbles furiously, his notes taking over most of the cafe table, his laptop occupying the rest. He belongs to the latter group, the one on the verge of insanity as finals week hasn't yet passed completely.
Across from him, Flux holds his chocolate frappe, lost in thought. He's one of the better half, the ones enjoying a small break, although enjoying might be the opposite feeling of the ordeal he's going through.
Three times. That's the amount of times Thomas declined his offer to hang out. Even just a single time is suspicious enough, but three?
Even more, at times, he would leave Flux standing in the middle of the hall, suddenly bolting after whispering a hurried excuse. His eyes would only sharpen, gaze turned somewhere else, as a warning before he runs off to Ish-knows-where.
And as if sensing Flux's worry, Thomas reassures Flux that everything is alright, but clearly, none of it isn't.
"Let me get this straight." Snowbird sighs, dropping his pen on the wooden table. "Your boyfriend ditched your cafe date. Great. So you call your good friend, Snowbird, in the middle of finals week, to complain about it, instead of talking to him like a normal person."
Flux sips his drink once, a bit too loud for his liking, "Thomas is not my boyfriend."
"I didn't say any names." Snowbird stares at him with a deadpan expression. "Are the others not available?"
The others, meaning the friend group dubbed 'The Conspiracy,' that Flux had as friends ever since high school. They're now either at the same college, or somewhere near its vicinity. Snowbird, being one of the few that attends the same one, despite being in a different course. Snowbird went into communications, Thomas in engineering, and Flux in architecture.
"You're the only one who agreed for ten bucks. That's the cheapest offer I've gotten."
"Wow. I really undersold myself, didn't I?" Snowbird slumps down his seat, hands in his head. He sighs, then looks straight at Flux's eyes, "Alright, hit me, what do you wanna do?"
Flux purses his lips before replying, "I need information about where Thomas is."
Snowbird stops in his tracks, a little too long, even. "…I don't know where Thomas is."
Flux narrows his eyes.
"I swear!" Snowbird raises his hands.
A notification from his phone rings out, and suddenly, Snowbird's attention is immediately drawn to it.
Snowbird doesn't seem like he's lying, per se— but he's not telling the whole truth either.
"So you don't know where Thomas is." Flux says slowly.
"Mhm. Not a clue." Snowbird nods while typing furiously on his phone.
"Is it possible for you to follow him around?" Flux asks, and Snowbird shakes his head, not once looking away from his phone.
Right. Finals week.
Flux pauses.
"What's that about? Is it that important to distract you from this conversation? One that I paid for, mind you."
"Sorry, sorry, it's my group. Remember that one class with a group project for finals?" Snowbird sighs, "..Yeah, it's not going great. Just tell me whatever, I can multitask, probably."
"Ugh, I get it." Flux says, remembering his past semester. If he had to describe it as a word, it would be gruesome. Flux shakes off the memories of a bloody semester, explaining the situation clearly this time.
"Anyway, Thomas has been declining my offers lately. He always seem to be distracted by… something, I guess."
"Hm. Yeah, we kinda noticed. He's been spacing out a lot lately too." Snowbird scratches his head, eyes still glued to his phone.
"Right. Do you have any idea what's on his mind?" Flux needs all the information he can get.
"Err…" Snowbird pauses, before he swipes on his phone, putting it aside, then starts working on his laptop, still typing away. "Probably has something to do with the time we went out for lunch."
Flux tries to recall such an event, but to no avail.
"Lunch?" Flux asks.
"Yeah, he was saying something about you-know-who…" Snowbird trails off, losing his train of thought. "…Yeah, so that happened."
About who?
Flux thinks about this clue, and all the other strange things that happened before.
Thomas saying he's preoccupied with something so he can't hangout. Thomas suddenly bolting away after seeing something in a crowd.
But what if that something isn't just a thing, but someone?
Flux sips his frappe once more, before speaking up again.
"So, you don't know where he is." Flux repeats his point, "But, do you know who is he with?"
"Oh, he's probably with Saps."
Bingo.
"Saps?" Flux stops drinking, straightening his posture. "Why would he be hanging out with that loser?"
A name. He finally got a lead as to why has Thomas been distant lately, and the name that came up is a loser chud who keeps trying to get Thomas' attention for the past few months.
Desperate. That's what Flux would call him. Constantly getting on his nerves. Annoying.
Snowbird then finally looks up, complete with the guilty expression of 'I-was-not-supposed-to-say-that'.
"Snowbird." Flux glares at him, "Fess up."
Snowbird shakes his head from side to side with a panicked expression, refusing to cooperate. "Can't. He has blackmail on me."
"Who? Saps?" Flux raises his eyebrow, scoffing, "I can give a better blackmail than what he has on you."
Snowbird opens his mouth, shuts it with his hands and pointedly avoids his gaze. Not Saps then?
"Spit it out. Now." Flux doesn't care about who has blackmail on who, what he needs is information.
Snowbird haphazardly shoves all his things inside his backpack and bolts out of the cafe. "Bye, Flux! I'll make it up to you next time, promise!"
Flux watches through the glass windows as Snowbird runs around campus and at one point, trips spectacularly.
"How unusual." Flux murmurs, chewing his straw.
"I'm really sorry I haven't been able to hang out lately." Thomas scratches the back of his head, sounding truly apologetic.
Flux only crosses his arms in response. It has been three days ever since he found out things from Snowbird, but here Thomas is, apologizing in the middle of the hallway.
Their short-lived break is over, and they're back yet again to the menial school days and the dreadful organization workload.
"Please, don't be upset?" Thomas gently places his hand on Flux's arm. His hands, rough from all his engineering work, almost envelopes Flux's forearm.
I heard you were hanging out with Saps.
You were hanging out with someone else instead of me.
Flux bites his tongue, he couldn't say those words, not now. "Make it up to me this Saturday. Movie night."
Thomas beams, his smile rivaling a thousand suns, Flux looks away for a moment, blinded by its light.
"I'll make that popcorn you like." Thomas says, overjoyed.
Thomas is very skilled when it comes to cooking, so in their shared apartment, Thomas is always the one in charge of cooking. One snack in particular, caramel popcorn, is something Thomas is amazingly good at. Despite him Thomas teaching him how to do so, he always fails every single time.
"Sure." Flux says, starting to walk towards their next class, "About the movie—"
Before Flux could finish his sentence, behind them, a familiar voice shouts out a greeting. He turns to see something he immediately regrets to turn around for in the first place.
"Hi!" Saps says, breathing heavily as if he ran a mile, "Funny seeing you guys here, huh?" Saps smiles brightly, his dark eyes forming crescents. His two moles below each eye squishes up as he does that irritating bright smile.
It takes every fiber in Flux's being not to throw up in Saps' presence, his stomach behaving strangely when he's around.
Flux grabs Thomas' arm, guiding him to leave right at this moment. Strangely, Thomas does not budge.
"Saps." Thomas acknowledges Saps' presence, which is simply unheard of, really.
Thomas only used to stare at Saps, sometimes even dragging Flux away from him.
What has changed?
"Thomas." Saps breathes out his name like it was something revolutionary.
Flux tightens his grip on Thomas' arm.
Saps then turns his gaze towards Flux, still holding up that smile that sends shivers down Flux's spine.
"What's got you cranky this morning?" Saps chuckles.
Flux doesn't even want to bother answering this obvious bait, "Come on, Thomas, we gotta go."
"Aww, you got class already? I thought you had a vacant around this hour."
He's right, but Flux was planning on staying in the room before the professor arrives. At least then, they'll have seats to eat snacks, away from the crowded canteen filled with students who hasn't yet eaten their breakfast.
"What do you know about our schedules?" Flux's eyes narrow in suspicion. "Are you stalking us?"
Flux recalls Saps having a class around this hour, as he used to share it with him before he dropped the class. That's how it all started really, and he'd rather not recall it now.
When you're a freshman, always choose your seatmates wisely. He should've followed the advice better.
So, not only is he stalking them, but skipping classes to do so as well. Eugh.
"No?" Saps sounds quite unsure of his own answer. Then Saps pauses, smiling again, "You look so cute when you're glaring at me like that."
Flux turns to Thomas, who usually has a conflicted expression whenever Saps says absolute garbage, but for some reason, today, Thomas looks as if he's trying to search for something, to study something.
No help then, Flux turns his gaze back to Saps.
"I am not cute." Flux glares harder, "Or maybe your senses have dulled seeing yourself in the mirror a little too much."
"Ouch." Saps holds his chest dramatically, pretending to be hurt. He keeps one eye open, an easy smile spreading on his face once more.
His pale hair sways with his movement, the light almost reflecting in its surface.
"That hurts my heart." Saps' eyes flutter lightly, in this light, its brown hue glows. "Can you kiss it better?"
Flux wants to hurl more than ever.
Flux looks at Thomas once more in the corner of his eye, to find Thomas staring right at him back. Thomas' gaze has somehow turned from Saps to him, eyes looking as if he's anticipating his response.
What's up with him?
"I'd rather not." Flux says with a deadpan expression, finally turning away from Saps. "Goodbye, Saparata."
Flux tugs Thomas to go. His realization that he's been holding Thomas' arm the whole time didn't matter much when they need to escape from this creep right this moment. They managed to walk at least three steps away before the man opens his mouth once more.
"What about you, Thomas? No kiss goodbye?" Saps teases, and it's one thing to tease Flux, but Thomas?
The Thomas who's been secretly going behind Flux's back and meeting up with Saps, out of all people?
Flux grips Thomas' arm one last time, before letting go, stepping towards Saps, ensuring he's close enough to hear.
"Back off from Thomas, this is a warning." Flux whispers, glaring directly into Saps' eyes.
"And what will you do about it?" Saps steps closer, clearly without any sense of personal space.
A breathe away from Saps' long lashes, Flux whispers once more, "You'll see."
Flux then turns back around, but not before he hears a small chuckle coming from Saps.
Flux ignores it, storming back to Thomas, holding his wrist to drag him around.
"Huh." Thomas lets out a small sound, as if realizing something from his observation.
Flux does not give it any thought, too preoccupied with his rage, taking long strides towards their next class.
He opens the door with a bang, the room already filled with some students he barely knows.
He doesn't let go of Thomas' wrist until they sit down in the middle of the room, earning some weird stares along the way.
"Day absolutely ruined." Flux huffs, "Thomas, we need to avoid that place for at least a week."
Thomas doesn't reply. He's sitting there dazed, looking at his wrist.
"Thomas." Flux calls out, and finally, Thomas is jolted back to reality.
"Yeah, we should." Thomas says, turning weirdly slow to the front of the class. He must still be out of it.
Flux mentally notes of another of his strange behaviors, then takes his phone out to pass the time.
Brainrot. After brainrot. After—
He didn't last very long till his thumb taps the messaging app, unblocking a number that he wishes he deleted a long time ago.
[ SAPARATA ]
what do you want from Thomas? <
im not kidding when i say you should back off <
> Nonya
? <
> Nonya business
> LMAOOOO
It takes all of Flux's self restraint not to throw his phone away onto some poor unsuspecting student. He blocks the number again, for the sake of his peace of mind.
He has a class to focus on.
It's finally Saturday, something that Flux has looked forward to ever since the start of the week. As promised, Thomas made caramel popcorn, the two lounging on their couch trying to pick some corny movie.
"Thomas, any suggestions?" Flux says, his head resting on Thomas' shoulder.
"Hm, can't decide. Just pick a random one." Thomas hums, holding his phone on one hand. The other is around Flux's shoulder, holding him close.
Flux presses the remote, scrolling through various movies on the list. He prefers something predictable, but not too predictable. Judging a book by it's cover has always been his specialty, so he picks one off the list with the typical generic poster.
He glances at Thomas, who's somehow, still on his phone.
"Thomas, the movie is starting." Flux reminds him.
"Right, sorry." Thomas says, placing his phone on the edge of the couch. He glances at it one last time, before letting go.
The movie starts with a lovely suburban house, a family of five living quietly, until one day, their peace gets disrupted with a threatening note — one that tells them that they're all dropping dead by the end of the day.
"Typical. Any bets on the final survivor?" Flux looks up at Thomas, who's once again, glancing anxiously at his phone.
Thomas shakes his head, turning his gaze back to the screen.
"I bet it's the mother." Thomas says, taking a handful of popcorn.
"Nah, she's definitely the killer. I wouldn't blame her, I'd go insane with brats like those." Flux looks back at the television, focusing back on the movie.
Eventually, the popcorn ran out.
"I'll go make some more." Thomas says, getting up, away from Flux to go to the kitchen.
"'kay." Flux responds, pausing the movie.
It was about two minutes after Thomas went to the kitchen when his phone dings with two new notifications.
It must be the messages that Thomas has been anticipating for the entire night, so much that he couldn't enjoy the movie.
…Well. Thomas isn't here, is he?
He opens the phone with a tap, to a lock screen of him and Thomas. Flux is caught a bit off guard, as it is a picture of them from two years ago, where Thomas captured a rare smile on his face. Thomas somehow liked how the picture turned out, and made a lighthearted joke that maybe it should be his wallpaper. Flux, at the time, rolled his eyes, not thinking much of it.
Flux shakes his head away from his memories, focusing on the text messages right on the notification bar.
It was from Saps. It took Flux's entire self-control to abstain his disgust by seeing his saved name along with a white heart by the end.
What have you been getting into, Thomas?
Flux finally reads the messages.
He then turns off the phone, turning back to stare at the blank screen of the television. A few moments pass, and Thomas is back with the bowl of popcorn.
"You okay?" Thomas asks.
Flux decisively does not look at the phone that's sitting innocuously at the edge of the couch.
"Yeah. I'm fine."
"…You don't sound like it." Thomas raises an eyebrow, sitting next to Flux, "I'm always here to listen, you know." He says with that charming smile that subtly raises the edge of his lips.
Of course, Thomas will always listen to his worries. He has always done so, always lending an ear to his troubles. Sometimes, even a shoulder to lean on. But this one isn't one worry that Flux wants to tell.
"I can handle it by myself." Flux blinks, turning his gaze away from Thomas and back to the empty screen. The screen must've turned off to conserve energy. Flux turns it back on, unpausing the scene.
Thomas shrugs, "If you say so."
This time, it's Flux's turn to be distracted by the turn of events. The movie had a horrible plot twist that Flux couldn't even complain about, mind still on those two notification bars of messages that he should have not seen.
Thomas, of course, sees through him. He does not ask again, too trusting in Flux's ability to seek help. Maybe it's because Thomas has always been the only exception, someone he truly trusts to talk to about everything.
The movie ends. The mother did end up being the final survivor, chasing the killer away with a broom.
Flux yawns. He makes sure that Thomas hears it clearly.
"I'm sleepy. I'm going to bed." Flux announces.
Sleeping earlier than usual, that would surely set Thomas' internal alarm of 'something-is-wrong' somehow.
"Night, Flux." Thomas' voice fades as Flux walks to the door of his bedroom.
Still, Thomas respects his wishes till the very end.
Flux only shuts the door, not bothering to give a reply.
Those two notifications haunt his nightmares that night. Flux tosses and turns in his bed, recalling the messages that thief sent.
— I wasnt using you to get to him, Thomas.
— Im serious. I like you too.
Saps really has confessed to Thomas. With the way that Saps said 'too', Thomas must feel the same as well. They must be at the very least, dating now, Saps' effort at chasing after Thomas for the past few months finally fruitful.
Thomas must be overjoyed right now, away from the anxious mess he's been as of late.
But for some reason, Flux just couldn't feel happy for his best friend.
He ignores the aching feeling in his chest and shuts his eyes once more, hoping that his nightmares stays as nightmares once tomorrow comes.
It got worse.
Knowing Thomas' schedule and routine, it was easy for Flux to spot him studying by himself in the library. Well, clearly not by himself, seeing as the Saparata himself is sitting right next to him, giggling ever so often.
Hiding behind a bookshelf, Flux glowers at the two. His fingers scratching off the wood varnish.
When will Thomas tell him about his new relationship?
It has been two days ever since Flux had seen the message, and clearly, the two got cozy fast. Thomas playing with Saps' long hair, focus barely on his book, Saps whispering things that Flux couldn't hear, the small smile that Thomas usually reserves for Flux alone.
It's sickeningly sweet.
This isn't the first time that Flux has seen him like that, he saw all of those stolen glances in the halls yesterday.
If Thomas used to bolt towards the sight of Saps, now, he just stands there, frozen, mesmerized.
If Thomas had just told him that he loved Saps all along, Flux wouldn't mind to put his hatred aside. Thomas matters more than his animosity with Saps, and Thomas clearly knew how important he is to Flux, with him reading Flux so easily.
…Does Thomas not trust him? Is that why he couldn't tell his best friend about anything?
All of those secret rendezvous, glances, messages, hidden far away from Flux's gaze. Do they giggle, thinking they're keeping their little secret so well? Flux being the fool in the middle of it?
Back off Thomas, he had said. But what right does he have over Thomas? He isn't just some object that Flux owns. He's his own person with his own opinions and choices.
Flux just wishes he at the very least, knew about it.
Flux walks out of the library with a horrible, sinking feeling in his chest. He doesn't know where he's heading, he just knew he needed to leave somehow.
He couldn't stand the sight any longer. Thomas smiling as if Saps hung the stars, Saps staring at Thomas just the same.
He has never seen Saps so besotted like that.
But Thomas—
Thomas—
Flux stops in his tracks.
When in trouble, there has always been something that helped him as an artist, an architect.
What he needs to do is to go back to where he started.
Back to the drawing board.
He opens his messaging app, and types out three words.
[SNOWBIRD]
you owe me <
Back in the same cafe, on the same table, like nothing has happened, Flux sips his chocolate frappe after telling Snowbird everything that happened on the past week.
This time, Snowbird is no longer preoccupied with any finals work, finally tasting freedom in the form of a pastry.
"So, Thomas is dating Saps, huh." Snowbird says, with a mouthful of a cinnamon roll in his mouth. "Didn't think he had it in him."
"Did you know?" Flux says, completely drained off his energy.
"Not really. I only spotted them one time together, and they didn't seem so… lovey-dovey. Maybe it was around two weeks ago?" Snowbird swallows his food, "Matches up with the time you said Thomas first turned down a hangout."
"You said something about a blackmail." Flux puts down his drink on the table, hiding his face with his hands, slouching, "It's Thomas, isn't it."
"Yup," Snowbird pops the p, "He told me not to tell you about it."
"Why would he? That's the confusing part." Flux's mind couldn't provide a simple clue. Some detective he is, couldn't even predict such a thing happening.
"I dunno. I didn't expect them to get together," Snowbird shrugs, "well, first, at least."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Flux straightens his posture a little.
"We had a bet that you and Thomas would get together first. It's been going on ever since high school." Snowbird takes another forkful of his pastry.
"What?" Flux says, confused.
Snowbird stops his fork midway, and puts it down.
"You live in an apartment together." Snowbird says outright.
"It was cheaper to buy that way, so we can split off the utilities!"
"You're both so touchy with each other."
"It's only natural, I'm his best friend!" Flux vehemently defends himself.
"Yeah, sure." Snowbird rolls his eyes. "If it was anyone other than Thomas, you wouldn't say the same thing."
"If Saps was my best friend, I would do the same thing. You know how much I hate the guy, so clearly, your points are invalid." Flux crosses his arms, proving a point.
"Uh-huh. Lots to unpack here." Snowbird nods, "Maybe you should think hard about that some other time."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Snowbird only sighs in response.
"Flux, you're obviously feeling jealous." Snowbird says, "But, it's all good, since you also like—"
"Jealous?" Flux huffs, "What would I need to be jealous of?"
Snowbird turns silent.
"What?" Flux asks.
"Flux. Use your brain. I know you're smarter than this." Snowbird puts a hand over his head in frustration, "I can't believe you're this oblivious!"
Flux thinks back to all the clues he's gotten and all the things Snowbird claims.
Their friends betting on their relationship, for possibly more than two years now,
Their shared apartment,
The casual touches that linger,
The close contact that became habit,
The jealousy that he's apparently feeling when he sees the two,
It all points to one conclusion—
Flux likes Thomas.
Oh.
Oh.
…He's fucked.
"Flux, did I do something wrong?" Thomas asks him, gently grabbing his wrist.
The class has been long since dismissed, almost all of the students left the room for their next class. In the end, it's just Flux and Thomas, in an empty room with Flux's four day old realization.
Flux didn't mean to really, well, at first he was jealous and then— then he realizes that apparently, he's been in love with his best friend, not knowing exactly when it started.
He's a mess, and he doesn't know where to start.
"It's nothing you need to worry about." Flux stares blankly at Thomas.
Did Thomas used to like him before Saps? Does Thomas still like him now? Or has he moved on with Flux's stupidity to recognize his own feelings?
"Flux." Thomas takes his hand on his, cradling it gently. "Please?"
Flux has always been weak to Thomas' pleading.
"We don't want to make your boyfriend to think of the wrong idea, no?" Flux withdraws his hand away from Thomas, despite wanting to stay in his touch.
"Boyfriend?" Thomas steps back, "What are you talking about?"
"I found out about Saps, Thomas." Flux says, "But clearly, I wasn't important enough to be informed of it."
"That's not—" Thomas steps closer, but Flux shies away. He couldn't look at Thomas in the eye.
"That's not, what, exactly? Didn't you tell Snowbird not to tell me about you two?"
"I—"
"I wouldn't have opposed your relationship if you just had told me."
"But—"
"You didn't need to ditch me last minute, running off to your prince charming."
"Flux—"
"You don't need to say anything more, I'm going home."
"Flux, let me talk!" Thomas holds Flux's shoulders tightly, finally forcing Flux to look at him. "It was because of you, okay?"
Huh?
Flux's confused expression must be very obvious as Thomas quickly clarifies his words.
"I approached Saps multiple times, and told him off for playing with your feelings. He keeps flirting with the two of us, and I didn't want you to get hurt." Thomas gulps, "It just spiraled from there. I didn't know how exactly to tell you about it. I couldn't tell you that your best friend fell in love with the same man, and got into a relationship with him behind your back."
Flux stares for quite some time, not knowing what to feel. His next words tumbles out of his mouth before he could think of anything else to say.
"What are you talking about, Thomas? What feelings?"
"…Huh? Your feelings for Saps, obviously." Thomas lets go of his shoulders, backing up a bit.
What?
"What?" Flux voices his thoughts out loud, "Who has a crush on Saps?"
Thomas blinks.
"You?" Thomas' answer came off more as a question.
"Me?" Flux blinks in confusion. "I don't have a crush on Saps."
A beat.
"Flux, the other day you were telling the group chat how Saps needs to drink water because his lips look chapped while yapping. You sent at least ten messages about it that day alone." Thomas says with a deadpan expression, "That's kinda gay, man."
Flux splutters, repeating himself, "I don't have a crush on Saps!"
"Are you sure?" Thomas' lips quirk up to a smile, easing the tension, "I could think of more times where you kept describing his eyes or his moles. You stare at him a lot, actually."
"That's because—" Flux stutters, "I'm insulting him at every opportunity!"
"Oh?" Thomas grins, "Then, why are you so red now?"
Flux covers his face with his hands, now realizing how warm it has gotten.
"I don't—" Flux's voice cracks, "I don't—" His voice becoming more and more quieter each syllable. He's trying to find more excuses, but to no avail.
He cannot like Saps. He simply just can't!
That would mean— that would mean—
"Uh-oh." Thomas says. "I think I broke him."
Flux then hears a camera snap behind him, opposite of Thomas, and turns to see Saps, with the biggest grin in his face, holding up his phone.
Somehow, during their conversation, Saps entered the room. The worse case scenario has come true.
Flux turns redder, feeling a bit faint. He looks at Thomas, who looks as if he's on the verge of laughing, and then back to Saps who's failing at hiding his giggles as well.
Flux clenches his fist in frustration, unable to utter a single word.
That's it.
Flux had enough of this. This humiliation — all of the mixed whirlwind of emotions Flux has been feeling for the past week or so.
So, what else could Flux do but run and punch Saps' stupid face?
You couldn't blame him for it, and you can even say it was well deserved.