Chapter Text
Dannue feels his heart splinter in two every time he sees the way Tiger looks at Duennao, but he knows he can't do anything about it.
That's why choosing to go to Boston, after talking with Tiger, was easy.
It wasn't easy at all to pull away after he learned about Chat and had all the pieces.
Dannue's been divided because of it, but moving on seems like the only choice he truly has.
Until a moment happened, on their trip, that led to Tiger and Duennao no longer being on speaking terms.
Even during the ride way home, they were silent.
Dannue sighs as he approaches Tiger while he's on his bike, preparing to leave. The reasoning Tiger gave him on the stairs is that he doesn't want to stay where he's not wanted anymore.
"Tiger," Dannue calls out to him as he reaches him, hand resting over the keys to make sure that this conversation happens before the man disappears. "Can I talk to you before you leave? About Duen?"
"I don't want to talk about Duennao, Nue," replies Tiger seriously as he looks at him before letting his eyes follow the outstretched arm. "But it looks like you've trapped me. So, I guess, I don't have any choice."
"You don't," Dannue agrees with a half-smile that honestly hurts. "What happened? Duennao told me that you two got into a fight, but I was busy apologizing to Field, so I have no clue where things went wrong. But he said that you were leaving, that you two weren't going to be friends for a while until you got your head on straight? What was said?"
"I— I let it slip that I had feelings for him, and he didn't like it. He called me selfish, told me that I was a dick for going into a friendship with feelings that were more," explains Tiger quietly, the words clearly hurt him to repeat, and Dannue's fingers clench awkwardly around the key in his anger. "I couldn't really argue, so I said I'd force myself to move on. He said I shouldn't come back until I had.
"You shouldn't have hid it for so long, but I understand why you did. He's your best friend, and he clearly made you feel safe. Losing that is scary," Dannue keeps his voice steady, fighting back his pure anger at his brother. "But he'll get over it. You won't have time to get over your feelings for him, I swear. He does like you. He's just a little bit slower about these things."
"Nue, I'm getting over him," Tiger sounds so certain, and Dannue doesn't know how to take that. "I've already started to, honestly. When I told him about my feelings, I used past tense phrasing because it already felt like I was moving past them. Besides, I told him on the trip that he should ask out someone that we met on a walk. He gave his number to her and everything. That's why he was on his phone so much that last day, they were talking, and I felt happy. A little hurt, but happy."
"Tiger, what— Are you sure?" asks Dannue softly, worry swimming through his voice.
"I'm sure," Tiger's voice is soft, his smile filled with reassurance. "But don't worry. I'll still watch out for Duennao in Chang Mai like I promised."
"I know you will," Dannue gives him a gentle smile, happy that Tiger is smiling, even if he's still hurting a little bit. "But, since I'm leaving earlier than expected, and you might not be here, I— I need to give you something."
"Oh? Nue, are you okay?" asks Tiger as his brows pinch together.
"Yes, Ger, I'm fine! I just promised that I'd do this before I left. I thought I had a bit more time was all. Just um, give me a couple minutes? I have to grab it from the room," Dannue's nerves are skittering across the pavement and into the road, but Tiger's eyes are warm.
"I'll wait," replies Tiger gently as he nods.
Dannue hurries into the cafe and towards the stairs. He's not going to make Tiger stay any longer than he absolutely has to. He completely ignore Duennao as he enters their room and dashes over to his side-table to tug out the green envelope holding the confession letter he swore to give to Tiger. He wanted to let Tiger go completely before embarking on this new journey in Boston, and he thought it would better to do it through a letter.
Dannue's hands are trembling as he leaves the room and heads back downstairs, ignoring his brother's curious call.
The minute that he reaches Tiger, Dannue has to take a deep breath before he can pass the envelope over.
"Here. When you choose to read it is up to you. I don't need to hear anything about it except for an answer to the single question I ask at the end. Be safe, Tiger," Dannue's voice is quiet, cracking just a bit because he knows what this letter holds.
"Nue, this is something personal?" asks Tiger quietly, something in his eyes making Dannue drop his head forward. "I'll give you the answer to your question, and I'll still be here if you ever need anything, regardless of what happens after I read it. Okay?"
"That's a sweet offer, but I think you're underestimating how you'll feel about it," murmurs Dannue as he looks up again with a sheepish smile.
"I guess we'll just have to see about that then, won't we, Nue?" Tiger's got a half-smile curving his lips, and Dannue fills with warmth at the sight despite knowing this moment is unlikely to happen again. "I'm gonna get going. I'll see you again eventually, yeah?"
"See you eventually," the words fall quietly as Dannue nods.
Dannue steps back into the doorway of the cafe, and he watches Tiger leave. He stays there until the smoke from the bike clears to show nothing but road. He doesn't know what will happen next for them, but he hopes Tiger and Duennao can at least be friends again.
"Dan, what was that about?" asks Duennao as soon as Dannue steps inside.
"Oh!" Dannue jumps in surprise, hand flying to press to his chest. "Duen, you just scared the crap out of me!"
"Sorry, I was just trying to figure out what you were doing," replies Duennao with an amused grin. "So, what was that about? You running in and out of the room with a green envelope and then watching in the direction that Suer just took off in."
"I was just giving Ger the letter I'd written to give him before I leave," murmurs Dannue with a shrug as he walks around his twin, figuring there's nothing more to talk about.
"Dan, do you like Suer?" the question seems to almost fall out of Duennao's mouth, and Dannue freezes in place, fingers clenching around the rail of the stairs as it hits him.
"Are you actually not interested in Ger?" Dannue throws the question out fiercely because if he's about to answer what he was asked, he needs to know where his twin stand first.
"I'm straight, Dan. Suer is like my platonic soulmate, but I could never see him like that," replies Duennao seriously as he walks over to him. "Answer my question now, and answer it honestly."
"I'm probably half in love with him by now, but sure, let's go with like," Dannue practically deflates, twisting to sit down on the stairs and watch his own hands curl together nervously.
"Why haven't you gone for it?" asks Duennao in a high pitched tone that has Dannue looking up to meet his brother's wide eyes. "You could've at least told him that you like him. Maybe it would've kept him from a broken heart."
"He would never look at me when he's looking at you, Duen," sighs Dannue with a shake of his head.
"Whatever. When did you realize you were crushing on my best friend, Dan?" Duennao isn't dropping the subject, and Dannue doesn't know why he was expecting this conversation to be over before it even started.
"A while ago," replies Dannue with a shake of his head as he looks at him. "Do you really think he could see me the same way? I mean, honestly? Is that even a possibility? And if it is, would you actually support it?"
"Anything's possible, Dan, you know that," replies Duennao as he settles on the stair next to Dannue, wrapping an arm around his shoulders supportively. "I don't know what Suer would think or feel about it. I'd like to think that my best friend would see you the same way because you're definitely a catch, annoying as you can be sometimes. But I know this. If my brother and my best friend get together, I'd be so happy because my two favorite people will definitely make each other happy."
"Dang it," Dannue's head drops forward, a huffed breath flows out of his nose as he shakes his head. "Now I've got hope again when I was meant to be putting these feelings to rest."
"Everything is going to work out well, Dan, I just know it," Duennao sounds so certain that Dannue's not sure that he could argue against it even if he wanted to. But it doesn't matter because he doesn't want to argue, and Duennao looks like he'd put up a fight about it anyway as he continues to speak. "Suer and I are going to be proper best friends. You and Suer are going to become the most annoyingly, cute couple I'll ever know, and Uni will be amazing for all of us. I'm calling it now, and when four years pass, and I'm right, you owe me dinner."
"If you're right, I'll definitely owe you dinner," snorts Dannue with a shake of his head.
"I'm texting that to you and putting a reminder into my phone just to make sure I cash in on it," Duennao chuckles as he tugs out his phone, holding it in view, and Dannue watches as he quite literally does what he said he would.
"Annoying," snorts Dannue with a shake of his head.
"Boys, come help me with dinner!" Mae hollers from upstairs, and their eyes meet.
"Last one up has to do the dishes!" exclaims Duennao with a big, mischievous, grin before he hops up and takes off before Dannue can even respond.
"Cheater!" huffs Dannue as he hurries up after him.
The hope is warm in his chest, but right now, he's gotta make it to the table before Duen, or he'll be stuck on dish duty for the third time this week.