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Wemmbu doesn't fall in love. Not with people in his friend group, not with classmates and certainly not with random strangers he saw on the streets. It's not because they aren't beautiful or interesting, it's just because Wemmbu doesn't fall in love.
He's never loved anyone, not really. There might've been that one girl in the first year of highschool. They dated for a few months, she taught him how to style his long hair and in return Wemmbu tried to keep her happy. He wasn't good at making her laugh or noticing details, but he tried.
It didn't work out, obviously. She wanted something more intimate, more serious. Wemmbu didn't know how to give her that, nor what it meant. He bought her gifts, bouquets on every single date. But he didn't get her favorite color right, or her food, or her coffee order.
They mutually decided that it wasn't what either of them wanted and they moved on. Wemmbu didn't feel any different, didn't feel the need to replace her. If he didn't, had he really been in love with her?
If that's what love was, Wemmbu hasn't loved anyone.
At the start of his second-to-last year of highschool, Flame Frags came along. Flame was smart, always getting good grades and almost never slacking off. He was muscular too. Wemmbu remembers seeing him at his gym once.
To his surprise, Flame walked up to him asking if he wanted to join in ok his workout routine. It was fun, having another person to talk with. Wemmbu was intelligent too, so their conversations never really ended. It was nice and Wemmbu didn't know what the weird twists in his gut were.
Wemmbu liked competing against Flame. For better grades, for the best running time, for anything as long as it meant Flame was his opponent. Even more, Wemmbu thinks he liked dropping dead next to Flame on the ground, sitting in silence as they regained control over their breathing.
Students would pass by them, some throwing concerned looks, others not even glancing at them. Wemmbu didn't really care. He just sat there, next to Flame, with their shoulders brushing until the bell rang and they were running to their classrooms.
Spending time with Flame was cool. Sure, they didn't talk outside school, but Flame followed his Instagram. Wemmbu would notice himself noticing little things about Flame each time they interacted.
His fingers tapped the same rhythm when he tried to calm down and his eyelashes left subtle shadows under his eyes. His dreads were in a high ponytail on the days where they had PE and left to fall freely otherwise. He braided Wemmbu's hair once, tying it with a hairtie of his own.
Wemmbu wasn't in love, but Flame did things to his brain, making his thoughts turn into mush. When Flame smiled, his heart raced. When he said hi, his stomach somehow felt lighter and heavier at the same time. Words got stuck in his throat like he got stuck in Flame's eyes.
Wemmbu doesn't fall in love, but Flame might be the reason for it to change.
There were still two months left of school when he first went out with Flame. It wasn't a date, not really. A quick coffee run before class, which ended up with them skipping the entire day, wandering through their town. Flame got them both ice cream and they sat at the shadow of a tree, just talking.
Wemmbu's head was in Flame's lap, hair spread out behind him. Flame was playing with small sections of his hair, thin and rigid but soft braids being being left for days until they unbraided themselves.
Wemmbu doesn't fall in love, but if he was dating Flame, he'd like to know. So, on a random Thursday evening, he decided that whatever was happening needs to be clarified for his own sanity. He just got back from a coffee run with Flame, except they were walking his dog too.
Hey
Yo
Wemmbu's heart was pounding in his chest, almost breaking free and tearing a hole through his skin. His hands were shaking as he typed out the next message, staring at it as if it typed itself out and this wasn't Wemmbu's decision. But it was. It was his, and he didn't want to back down.
Are we dating?
Simple, straight to the point. He didn't want to leave room for doubt, for the possibility of misunderstanding the text. Flame started typing back immediately, the answer popping up in a blink. Faster than Wemmbu imagined it would. Maybe Flame would've left him on read, ignored him the next day. He didn't.
Yes
Do you not want to?
Did Wemmbu want to date Flame? The answer was obvious even to himself. He did. Wemmbu never loved anyone, but Flame was the first. The first to notice how his hair wasn't straight, it was wavy. The first to offer help to get back up after falling, the first to give him advice about sports and learning. The first to really care more than a friend would.
I do
I just wnated to be sure
Oh
...we still going for coffee tomorrow righr?
Hell yeah
That was it. One month left of school and he found himself in a situation ship. He spend it running around with Flame Frags. It wasn't something bad. He loved the way he laughed, a quiet chuckle in crowded places and a loud laugh matching his in between buildings.
Now that school finally ended, he didn't know what to do. He knows he should text Flame, but each time he typed something out it sounded stupid. As if he was a five year old trying to learn how to piece together longer sentences. Regardless, Flame always read his mind.
One random evening, in which Wemmbu was staring at his ceiling, listening to music and drowning out his thoughts, Flame texted him to come over for dinner with his parents. Wemmbu didn't even think twice. He put on some nice jeans and a thin sweater and was out the door in the warm air.
Flame's parents were nice. He helped set the table despite being asked not to, smiling at Flame's encouraging looks every so often. He made polite conversation, complimenting his mother's food and laughing at their jokes. His laughter wasn't the one Flame heard, but it still sounded like music to his ears.
That's how he ended up here. Inevitably, the question Wemmbu was most scared of came up. After clearing the table, Flame's mother spoke up. "So, how long have you been Flame's boyfriend for?" She asked, completely oblivious to the fact that they weren't boyfriends yet.
He bit his lip, eyes searching for Flame's in a silent cry for help. Flame, that bitch, just shrugged in response. Wemmbu was on his own, so he replied the best he could. Because he wanted to be Flame's boyfriend despite it not being talked about yet. "For a while. I guess there isn't an exact date marked in the calendar."
His mother nodded and they were off to Flame's room. Wemmbu's heart was louder than it should be as Flame pulled him close to his side, the soft mattress morphing under their combined weight. His nose was buried in Wemmbu's hair, hands gently holding him.
"Bro. Bro, you're so fucking sweet." Flame chuckled, tightening his hold on Wemmbu. Wemmbu joined in laughing, one of his hands coming up to rest around Flame's waist.
"We're so cooked." Wemmbu turned to face Flame, pulling his sweater off. Flame's eyes flicked down. The tank top he was wearing was hugging his chest perfectly, lining his abs. Wemmbu smirked. "Take a picture, it'll last longer."
"Shut up, bro. Be a good boyfriend and come cuddle." Flame whined, a blessing to his ears. Flame wasn't soft, not in the public's eye. He was serious, as if everything was a well defined task of his.
On the occasional times where they found themselves past midnight stretched out on a random patch of grass, Flame's facade would drop. Similar to know, he'd become this innocent creature who clung to anything. Wemmbu called him an octopus. Flame didn't deny it.
Wemmbu allowed Flame to maneuver himself under his chin, nose pressing gently in the crook of his neck. Their legs were, well, theirs, and Wemmbu couldn't guess whose were whose. His hand traveled instinctively up to his scalp, scratching at the surface.
Flame liked having his hair played with. It was his off switch, Wemmbu realzied at some point. He'd go numb in his arms, breathing evening out in a close attempt of sleep taking over. Except now, Flame's breathing did even out completely. His head remained tucked under his chin, hands around his back.
Wemmbu didn't fall in love with anyone but Flame. He probably won't be loving anyone but Flame either and he was completely fine with that if it meant getting to see this soft side of Flame and having it only for himself. If it meant loud laughter and quiet coffee runs. If it meant hugging Flame and having him hug back with stronger arms and no hesitation.
If it meant being loved back.