Work Text:
Kaelix had a problem.
Unfortunately, the problem’s name was Freodore.
And even more unfortunately, everyone knew.
“Just confess.”
Kaelix looked up from his phone with betrayal in his eyes.
Seible sat across from him at the café table sipping iced coffee like he hadn’t just ruined Kaelix’s entire morning.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Zeal didn’t even glance up from his laptop.
“You stared at Freodore for twelve uninterrupted minutes yesterday.”
“I was thinking.”
“You sighed when he smiled,” Seible added.
“That proves nothing.”
“You also googled ‘how to tell if your best friend likes you back.’”
Kaelix froze.
“...How do you know that?”
“You used my laptop.”
Silence.
Then Seible burst into violent laughter.
Kaelix buried his face in his hands immediately.
“This is why I have trust issues.”
“No,” Zeal corrected calmly. “Freodore is why you have trust issues.”
And that was the problem.
Because Kaelix was completely, hopelessly, painfully in love with Freodore.
Had been for months.
Maybe longer.
It wasn’t even dramatic at first.
Just little things.
The way Freodore always remembered everyone’s coffee orders.
The way he unconsciously leaned toward people he trusted.
The way he laughed softly at Kaelix’s terrible jokes like they were actually funny.
Kaelix never stood a chance.
Freodore was impossible to read.
One day he’d sit shoulder-to-shoulder with Kaelix sharing earbuds like it was the most natural thing in the world.
The next day Kaelix would convince himself Freodore was just being friendly.
Which led to his current situation:
emotionally suffering in public while Seible and Zeal watched like disappointed zoo staff.
“You’re both useless,” Kaelix muttered.
“We’re trying to save you,” Seible replied.
“From yourself.”
Meanwhile Freodore also had a problem.
Unfortunately, the problem’s name was Kaelix.
And everyone knew.
“You’re doing it again.”
Freodore blinked.
“What?”
Seible pointed across the room dramatically.
“Heart eyes.”
Freodore nearly dropped his drink.
Across the practice room, Kaelix sat on the floor tuning his guitar completely unaware he was currently the center of Freodore’s emotional crisis.
“I do not have heart eyes.”
Zeal looked over once.
Paused.
Then nodded.
“You absolutely do.”
Freodore looked horrified.
“No I don’t.”
“You literally smile differently around him,” Seible said.
“That’s fake.”
“Your feelings?”
“My denial.”
Zeal snorted quietly into his coffee.
Freodore immediately pointed accusingly.
“You’re supposed to be neutral!”
“I was,” Zeal replied. “Then both of you became unbearable.”
Because apparently Freodore had a tiny little issue where he was:
Being in love with his best friend, terrified of ruining the friendship and completely incapable of acting normal around Kaelix anymore.
Which was difficult.
Especially because Kaelix kept doing things like casually touching his wrist while talking, saving him seats automatically,
looking at him like he hung the stars himself.
Freodore genuinely couldn’t tell if Kaelix liked him back or if Kaelix was simply like that.
“Maybe he’s just affectionate,” Freodore muttered weakly.
Seible stared at him.
“Freodore.”
“Yes?”
“He bought you flowers because you had a bad day.”
“…People do that.”
“He said and I quote, ‘These reminded me of him.’”
Freodore immediately covered his face.
“Oh my god.”
Zeal looked tired already.
“At this point I’m starting to think neither of you deserve rights.”
The thing was everyone else thought Kaelix and Freodore were already dating.
Because they acted like it.
Constantly.
Kaelix carrying Freodore’s bags without asking.
Freodore fixing Kaelix’s collar automatically.
The two of them sharing food.
Sharing hoodies.
Sharing headphones.
One time Seible walked into the living room and found both of them asleep against each other on the couch.
Neither even reacted when he took photos.
“JUST KISS ALREADY,” Seible had screamed.
Freodore woke up horrified.
Kaelix nearly fell off the couch.
Nothing changed.
Because they were idiots.
One rainy evening, all four of them gathered at Seible’s apartment for movie night.
Which mostly meant Seible talking through the movie, Zeal pretending not to enjoy it,
and Kaelix trying very hard not to stare at Freodore constantly.
Freodore was wearing Kaelix’s hoodie.
Again.
“You know,” Seible said casually from the floor, “I think unresolved romantic tension is ruining this household.”
Freodore choked on popcorn.
Kaelix stopped breathing.
Zeal didn’t even look away from the TV.
“Correct.”
“We do not have unresolved romantic tension,” Freodore said immediately.
Kaelix nodded too quickly.
“Yeah.”
Seible stared at both of them.
Then at Zeal.
Then back.
“This is actually painful to witness.”
The movie continued.
Or tried to.
Halfway through, Freodore reached for his drink at the exact same time Kaelix did.
Their hands brushed.
Both froze instantly.
Seible noticed immediately and so did Zeal.
The tension became so obvious it practically gained physical form.
Kaelix looked away first.
Freodore’s heartbeat was trying to kill him.
“Oh my god,” Seible whispered dramatically. “I can HEAR the yearning.”
“I hate this apartment,” Zeal muttered.
Later that night, rain poured heavily outside while Seible disappeared into the kitchen and Zeal went to help him with snacks.
Which left Kaelix and Freodore alone.
The silence immediately became dangerous.
Freodore sat curled beneath a blanket pretending to focus on the movie.
Kaelix sat beside him pretending not to be internally combusting.
“Can I ask you something?”
They both stopped.
Then laughed nervously.
“You first,” Freodore said softly.
Kaelix looked suddenly terrified.
Which was unusual.
Kaelix normally looked confident about everything.
Except this.
Except Freodore.
“…Do you ever,” Kaelix started carefully, “think about us?”
Freodore forgot how breathing worked.
“…Us?”
Kaelix nodded once.
“Like..”
He laughed awkwardly.
“I don’t know. Maybe more than friends?”
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Then Freodore stared at him like he’d just been handed the meaning of life itself.
“…You mean that?”
Kaelix blinked.
“…Yeah?”
Freodore looked genuinely stunned.
“You like me?”
Kaelix made the most offended noise imaginable.
“FREODORE I HAVE BEEN SUFFERING.”
From the kitchen:
“FINALLY,” Seible screamed.
Zeal immediately after:
“I TOLD YOU THEY’D FIGURE IT OUT EVENTUALLY.”
Freodore started laughing so hard he nearly dropped the blanket.
Kaelix covered his face.
“Oh my god they knew.”
“Apparently everyone knew,” Freodore replied breathlessly.
Kaelix looked at him then.
Really looked at him.
“…So?”
Freodore smiled softly.
Warmly.
Fond in a way that made Kaelix’s chest ache.
“So,” Freodore said quietly, “I think I’ve been in love with you for a while.”
Kaelix stared.
Then immediately kissed him.
Not dramatic.
Not perfect.
Just soft and happy and a little clumsy because both of them were smiling too much.
From the kitchen, Seible started clapping loudly.
Zeal yelled:
“ABOUT TIME.”
Neither of them cared anymore.
Because finally the yearning was over.