Page 10 of Septembers

“Guys.” Jason’s face lost the battle with his frown, his attention bouncing between Theo’s bar and Caleb’s sticky plate. “This is painful to watch.”

“I’ll get batter at it.” Caleb’s goofy grin took over his whole face. “Get it? Batt⁠—”

“Funny,” Theo said, shoving the last bite of the bar into his mouth and giving Caleb a pat on the shoulder. Time was running out, and Dae was still in the bathroom.

As soon as Theo knocked on the door, the water stopped. “Hey, I’m coming in.”

“What, no.” His voice was adorably frantic. “Five minutes.”

“I don’t have five minutes. I have to leave in twenty.”

Silence.

“Dae, we share a bathroom. We should accept the fact that we’ll see some skin. Let’s rip the Band-Aid off.” He made an unconvincing ripping sound and drummed the door with his fingertips. “Daaaeeeeeeeeee.”

Dae didn’t answer, but the lock clicked open. Steam hit Theo, momentarily blurring his vision. But then it cleared to show Dae with a towel wrapped around his waist and his wet hair dripping onto his shoulders.

“Fucking shit.” Theo had not been prepared for a lean, flat stomach, defined arms, and the kind of peck muscles he suspected could bounce on command.

But it was so fine! He had shut down his crush, so this was not a problem at all!

Dae’s eyes widened in borderline panic. “What?”

“Just…” The steam swirled down his throat into his lungs, his stomach, and kept on moving down, filling his body with heat. Say something, he internally screamed at himself. Literally anything!

Dae blinked at him, his panic rising. “Just what?”

“That's not. Ugh. That's what you're hiding under those awful sweaters?”

His cheeks instantly went pink. “Stop it.”

“I’m trying, but…” Theo shook his head, unable to stop leering. Which sometimes was the best defence: joke about finding someone attractive so they’d think the attraction was a joke. Which it was, of course.

“Theo.” Dae picked up the pile of clothes on the counter and held them against his chest. “Wait, what's wrong with my sweaters?”

Theo clicked his tongue. “You must know.”

Dae seemed annoyed at the non-answer, or perhaps he was just flustered at Theo’s refusal to stop staring, so he escaped into the living room to a chorus of Jason and Caleb whistling.

Theo gripped the sink and breathed in the last of the steam, definitely not thinking about how it had clung to Dae’s body. He shook his head, then stripped and studied himself in the foggy mirror. He was no goblin, but shit, if he looked like Dae, he would never, ever wear a shirt.

“Half hour workouts every day,” he sternly told his reflection, knowing the traitorous two-dimensional being wouldn’t actually listen. “Every. Day.”

༻𓆪 𓆩༺

jordan

#1 Client Extraordinaire

I couldn’t find you after the concert. Were you there?

Yes

Too busy basking in your immeasurable talent to stick around

Figured youd be swarmed by admirers

Well obviously but that has nothing to do with the concert.