Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

There was a moment of peace before Zane fully woke up, just a moment before he recognized the aching between his shoulder blades and realized he'd have to mentally prepare for a sore, achy walking day. He'd slept wrong, a pitiful sigh left his lips, and with that helpless realization he pulled himself up. Hands met with comforters and pulled them back as he dredged out of his dorm room into the hall of his stupid building.

The lights were too bright as he made his way to the bathroom in pajamas, caddy in hand, toothbrush and other hygiene equipment inside, off to start what could only be a miserable day. As it was, Zane realized, walking about campus to his first class lost in between his head and headphones, a miserable day, because he decided so, and because his back ached, but that wasn't his fault. He'd even done stretches when he got back to his room which did nothing except to exacerbate the issue.

There wasn't much to do that day yet, but there had already been enough that Zane was tired, enough that he was walking with his eyes closed. Which he'd assure you he didn't usually do, even though he did. He actually prided himself in how good he was at walking with his eyes closed. But nobody really knew that because he thought it an embarrassing thing to be proud of.

A few weeks on campus meant a few weeks to get to know people, which Zane didn't. He did find out that a lot of people he knew went to this stupid college, which he should have expected since it was the main campus in the area, and the only one close enough for his mother that would accept him with his b-c average grades. He was smart enough to get better ones, it was just that he didn’t care. He was the type to sit with the syllabus and calculate how much work he had to do to pass, then only do that much.

He knew Garroth was here, which was over half the reason his mother pushed him to go here, and usually the crowd followed wherever his flamboyant bimbo brother led. It wasn't all that difficult to avoid them, he was in a different major, a lot of them were, and the campus was large enough that he didn't see them often, and when he did he could duck away to avoid being spotted.

It was near about as tiring as highschool was, just strangely with less werewolves and more Mefwa in his life, since he'd taken that cafe job with the pink one. He wanted to say cat-girl but he mentally scolded himself for that, as he was informed by the pink one, that it was a species-est thing to say. He didn't know why he was spotting less werewolves about, he knew there was at least one pack of them if not two, they had some kind of combination sorority fraternity for only werewolves, so a lot of them lived just off campus.. maybe that was why he didn't see them?

Thoughts drifted from his mind as he walked into a class he had newly transferred into, an advanced poetry class to replace the intro creative writing class he'd dropped due to it being boring. The professor recommended he switch to her other class held on Tuesdays and Thursdays, which would mess up his schedule and make him sleep in less, since it was an earlier class, but he was alright with that if he could make proper and entertaining writing.

He liked writing. And there weren't going to be any other freshmen here as it was a junior senior level class. Which Zane could definitely get an ego about. He also got an ego about being early to classes, so he pushed open the door with mock-confidence fifteen minutes before the class was set to start and took a seat at the desk closest to the door.

He reminded himself that everyone would see him as they walked into the classroom, that's kind of what he wanted. Be observed, recognized, but not bothered. Individuals funneled in closer to five minutes from class time, which had given him about ten full minutes to regret switching to this class. He was a freshman for fucks sake, and it was two weeks into the semester, sure he wrote poetry, but fuck, not for people to see! Was the professor going to make him share something? Introduce him? He hoped not. He really hoped not.

Roll call started and very unfortunately it started with the person's name, which Zane had already forgotten, and the professor asking

“Rose and Thorn?”

Which was something hed never fucking heard of before. Judging based on the guy saying his rose was wrestling practice later and his thorn was the shitty weather, he caught the jist. Zane could of paid any attention to the names being thrown around, if he wanted to, but instead he paid attention to how long it was taking to have his name called, there were a whole eight people in the class, the statistical probability of all of them having early alphabet names was low, but not impossible-

“Zane?”

He flicked his head up “Huh?”

“Rose and thorn?” his bubbly professor smiled.

“Oh.. Uh..” He paused “Thorn is that.. Introducing yourself sucks. And rose is that I’ll actually get to have good critique in this class” He tried for confidence and ended up somewhere between wobbly and clearly faking it.

“Ah!” She laughed a bit and looked down to adjust her glasses. “Well then, no introduction needed. We’ll keep you an enigma for now, do you have any poetry ready to share? A mock introduction to just your work, if you're able.

Luckily, he was able, his anxieties gave him more than enough reason to pull up an old poem he'd made in the past year in the time before class, and with his computer in front of him he looked up. “Just.. out loud? Or..?”

She shrugged “As you please, or I could read it for you”

Zane held his computer a bit closer “Uh.. I’ll just read it.. Thanks.”

She nodded.

“Uhm.. the title is.. As I remember, It’s well.. It's a larger body of work, or one really long poem if you wanna see it that way, anyway.. It's a little morbid. Whatever.” He rambled a bit and mentally chastised himself. Then spoke up:
“ Soft skin peeling, scales ripped, reeling, in the hook punctured your open mouth.
Giving life, a pitiful death, metal meeting meat, cut, mercy, without.
It’s a bait fish, he lived for this, to be eaten by something larger
But to little hands, with ideas grand, this is akin to torture.
Ode to the fish over the end of my pole at a spillway. Livid
Ode to the useless life he gives to a father failing to love his kid.”

Zane paused and looked up to find a lot of differing expressions.

“It’s so..” One girl spoke up “whimsically existential”

He carried that high through lunch, and managed to keep it on until study night with Aphmau, who he had become unwilling friends with due to their class schedules being too similar since they were both business majors. She was still pissed at him for switching out of intro creative writing, but really, out of his five classes how was he going to be able to handle three with aphmau? He almost needed to switch out of one of them, he argued, but nonetheless, she was offended and Zane didn’t know why.

“Anyway.” She snipped “Onto better things.” She placed her hands together, fingertips touching.

Zane narrowed his eyes at the gesture, and rightfully so, because the next thing from her mouth was an abhorrent sentence

“Have you met anyone yet?” She tried for a smile, raising a suggestive eyebrow

The eyeroll was immediate and spiteful, “I haven’t.”

She huffed, “Zane you can’t keep being a hermit all the time!”

“And you need to stop making everything about romance! I’m in college, Aphmau, I don’t need to be getting boned every Thursday to keep emotionally stable! In fact, I’d rather not!

“Exactly! You're in college-”

“I don’t need a girlfriend.”

“Okay, what about a boyfriend?” She asked with a catlike grin.

Zane choked on his own air and sputtered “A- Aphmau! I.. didn’t tell you that.. Did I?” He held a hand gently to his chest as he contemplated how long he’d known this girl and what secrets she might have on him despite his own memory.

But when he looked up her mouth was covered by her hand. Ah.. that statement had surprised her. If social cues were to be believable in this scenario, that was new information. Fuck.

“Zane..”

His hands moved to protect himself “Aphmau?” He asked wearily

Her eyes were glimmering as she took Zane’s hands “Zane. YES.”

“Aph- No-” He tried to pull back

“This is perfect!” Her hands gripped tighter

“No it's not!” Zane ripped his hands free.

“I've got this guy-”
“No.”
“it’s all lined up”
“No!”
“I’ll give you his number!”
“Aphmau, Please!”

“Zane, he's so nice!” She urged, and unwillingly Zane wavered.

She recognized the weakness in his eyes, “He asked me to set him up with someone, because every time he’s tried something people have misconstrued him as disingenuous, and he wants something real”

Zane, despite himself, considered it for a second.

She held his hands gently again. “I know you want someone.. and he’s nice and genuine I swear. When you get to know him.”

His eyes narrowed “Now what’s that mean?”

A sigh left her lips “Well, he’s.. A bit of a flirt.”

“Aphmau-”

“Zane please” She let it sit “I’ll just give you the number you don’t even have to text him”

After a long moment he asked, “Why should I take the number?”

“Becauseeee” She searched her own head for a good reason. “He’s really nice?”

Zane groaned, and then rationalized. Aphmau had been bugging him about this for the whole two weeks that they’d been at college together, maybe.. maybe this would get her off his back.. hopefully, he looked up at her. “I’ll make a deal with you.”

She perked up immediately and Zane grimaced at his own decision making. “I’ll take it.. But you have to wait.. Two weeks before I’ll give you any updates.”

Her eyes glimmered “Deal.”

“And you can’t ask him either!”

“Zane!” she whined

“Aphmau!”

“Fine!” She crossed her arms in a huff. Then got her phone out. “Two weeks is so long.” She grumbled to herself.

“Like anything juicy is going to happen in two weeks.” Zane huffed, going to take the number.

“It could!” She pressed, but it wasn't going to, Zane knew that. He wasn’t going to even have the balls to text this guy.

“Oh” Zane clicked into the name box on his contact creation “who is it?”

Aphmau smiled, “That's the thing, you don’t get to know.”

Zane gave her a blank look.

“It’ll be fun! No stereotypes! No judging based off your familyyyy” She prodded Zanes' side, and he had to admit, that did sound better than the alternative.

“Then he won’t know who I am either?”

“Not a clue.” She smiled

Zane paused, named the stranger “Blind Date” and then tried to get back to what he was supposed to be working on while avoiding thinking about that whole ordeal too much, and for once Aphmau quieted about it.

This deal was already working in his favor.

Chapter Text

Two days after study night Zane laid in his half lofted bed with his phone in his hands, scrolling about something when Aphmau sent him a reel on instagram.

The memory of Aphmau being a person who existed made him remember the other bothersome person who was going to now exist in his life. He sighed, then half out of boredom, half out of curiosity, without the time to overthink it, he drafted up a message.

Hey, Aphmau gave me this number and told me you were interested in getting set up on some kind of blind date over text thing. So. Hello. I can’t tell you who I am and vice versa so,, I dunno pick some nickname for me or something
I named this contact “Blind Date”

The response came concerningly quickly

That isn't a very aesthetically pleasing nickname my love

That's a bit pushy, asshole

I seem to have misjudged the vibe
I just meant that I thought it should be a cuter nickname T. T

Oh.
Well there was probably a better way to say that
If you're being genuine.

I am trying to be genuine

What are you saving me as then?

Honestly? Something cheesy probably,,
Likeeee a cutesy nickname
If your intentions are the same as mine then thats fitting, no?

Well what are your intentions?

To date? Right?

I was coerced into agreeing to that, yes.

There was a noticeable pause between the message Zane sent and this guy responding. Which was enough time for Zane to regret sending that, but another message came in soon enough.

Oh
Aphmau made you?

He felt a small bit of pity for this guy, firstly, having to ask someone else to set him up, and then finding that the person he got set up with didn’t even really want to. So he found himself lying.

I mean, she asked. I agreed, so, coerced was a strong word, sorry

But are you interested?

I really didn’t think I’d be getting into a relationship in college
In fact, I told myself I wasn’t going to

Zane thought over his conflicting feelings from the last few years as he gave the stranger time to respond. He had been quite lonely, just overall. He was finding some solace in having a friend, but it was also a bit overwhelming after the last however many years of solitude. Plus, he’d known Aphmau for years via their families. This guy was a total, complete stranger that he was about to agree to date? Zane mused on it, leaning toward no. However, looking down at his phone he found the message this guy sent a little disheartening.

I can leave you alone. If you want?

Well that was.. A little pitiful. Again Zane felt bad for this guy, and then also himself, because he was being set up with this stranger as much as they were with him. So.. fine. He responded strangely honestly, which scared him a bit.

No, no it's not like I didn’t agree to this for a reason
I’ve been alone

So.. you
Then you do want to? Talk to me?

I think so..

Alright, then
is it alright for me to flirt with you?

There was a small blush creeping up Zane’s ears, and he was displeased with it. He hadn’t considered this yet, he hadn’t been ready to consider this yet. Was he okay with this? Adventurously, he responded

I think,, you can? I don’t know how I’ll react. Probably not poorly

How reassuring lmao
Can we talk on interests and hobbies?

Sure
I like
Uh..
Shows

Pfft- What kind? Live action, dramas? Anime?

Anime
Not many live action things
Studio Ghibli

Oh rad! My favorite ghibli movie is Ponyo
I usually game
Play any games?

Oh, I haven’t watched that one
And not usually, no. I have a switch tho
I like the Zelda games

Oh my gods! Hell yesss fellow Zelda enjoyer!

The stranger's reaction to that was even more exciting than Zane was expecting, and he found himself smiling at his phone. Ah- Wait. He was.. enjoying himself? Wasn’t he?
What a fun thought.
9:30 pm.. Sure. fine. He’ll entertain this for a while.

Puh-leeeease, Love what's your favorite Zelda game?

Zane rolled his eyes a bit but found it wasn’t entirely out of distaste.

Twilight princess, played on the wii
And love? Really? Thats the nickname of choosing?

“Nickname of choosing” sounds like a dnd spell lmao
And yes my darling dearest sweetest love
Do you take an issue with that?
Im asking playfully ^

He wasn’t used to this kind of attention on him, so despite his initial cringe, Zane found himself warm around the cheeks and a little hesitant to respond negatively

Its cheesy

Whats wrong with that? ;)

Oh don’t start with winky faces, ill kill you

T. T

Emoticons are kind of old school? Aren't they?

It has more charm to it!

I can agree
Anyway what's your favorite Zelda then? Since you got so excited about mine

OH YEAH
You like the emo Zelda game
Mine is four swords on the ds
My first and most nostalgic Zelda game <3

Excuse me, the “emo” one?

Yeah, its all dark and full of shadow and twilight, thats likeee
Its whole thing, right?

Have you played it?

I've watched playthroughs

Well, I guess you're right, anyway.
But whatever, what's yours about?

There are four links, four swords of different colors
Just a little platformer puzzle game really
I still have my ds, you could watch me play sometime?

You’re a dork. We aren’t supposed to meet up, yet, I think

Yeah what's with that? Why did Aph say we don’t get to know each other?
It'd be much easier to flirt with you If i knew what you looked like <3

Oh, is that why Casanova hasn't been pulling all his best lines?
He can’t compare me to a summer's day without knowing my blood type and zodiac?

While both of those would help this Casanova he was thinking more eye color?

I don’t know why aph told us to keep secret about it, but it's helpful on my end
so strangers we will stay.

Why is it helpful? Doesn't my love want to know who his prince is?

Quite princely of you to assert your own title, and no he doesn't
He’d much rather you didn’t know him yet either, as people tend to assume things about him
Wrongfully

Mm, I did mention that to her
about not wanting whoever she chose to judge me for how they see me already
I probably know you If aphmau knows you, and If I hadn’t considered you yet but were getting along this merrily, maybe there's some merit to this madness

If you’d like, I have blue eyes

I’d like! And what pretty blue eyes Im sure they are handsome

Zane wasn’t prepared for that and took long enough to respond that the dork sent another message

Oh no! did I break him? Ehehe

No you did n o t, he is fine
He is just unused to this kind of attention

Wait- have you been called handsome before?

No
People don’t usually talk to me

Okay maybe I don’t know you
One of Aphmau’s secret friends perhaps
Or online friends?

I don’t feel like I should answer, because you seem to be trying to figure out who I am
But no, I am an irl friend

Ah! You're so smart
I didn’t even realize
Curiosity killed the cat

Laying on complements a bit thick, are we?
Satisfaction brought it back

Huh?

Zane had to pause before he responded.
What?

Satisfaction brought it back?

The end of the idiom? Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back?
It means knowing is better, because even if it hurts, thats still closure
Or some other philosophy bullshit, I don’t remember

You a r e actually so smart, what the hell?
Thats cool!

Thanks,,

Wow! I’m gonna date a smart guy? Hell yeah
Do you know any other idioms like that

What, you want me to list them? Just google it

How hurtful T-T My love has all the knowledge but he won’t share it
A gatekeeper?

I am n o t a gatekeeper, just google it
Why are you looking for a relationship?

Oh- I wasn’t expecting that right away
Eheh–
I just sort of
Iv’e struck out with a few different girls over the years
And while I am definitely interested I dunno how to ask a guy
Aph told me she’d help me

So you're a loser?
Lighthearted ^

If I said yes would you date me out of pity?

Zane had to smile, he actually enjoyed this guy’s sense of humor. Fucking hell.

I don’t remember the last time someone talked with me like this
I think we'll get along
But no, I wouldn’t date you out of pity

Awwwe

A conversation though? That id entertain out of pity

Wait- what??
Don’t tell me that's why you entertained this? T-T

Half, I’m also bored

At least you're honest… T, T

One of my strong suits, thanks
I'll make your contact name “Pitiful Dork”
Being mean is another of my strong suits

Affectionately- I can tell
I think I'm enjoying that sharp tongue of yours ;)
“Loveable Bastard” for you then <3

Lmao, fair enough
This is the kind of relationship I could actually get behind

So I’m winning you over? ;)))

Zane laughed a bit, surprised at his own easiness

Yeah maybe.
That thought is kind of overwhelming for me, honestly

The thought that you might start to like me?

Yeah..

Oh- well
We coulddd
I dunno what to do to make you more comfortable
Is there anything to do?

Maybe be done for the night?
It's kind of late, I'm usually doing other things by now

Yeah that's fine
Talk to you later then?

Zane started a goodnight message, but erased it and held his phone in his hand for a soft moment. He didn’t enjoy this vulnerability, not knowing how the other was feeling toward him and the worry that he might of upset the guy gnawed at him.

Does that disappoint you at all?

You are very straightforward
A little yeah
But don’t feel bad
It's not like we won't have more time to talk laterrrr <3

Yeah.

Zane watched his phone as a little heart icon popped up on his message, it twisted a couple knots in his stomach. Ones that made him have trouble sleeping, and ones that made him ignore pitiful dork’s good morning message the next day.

He wasn’t up until ten anyway, he’d gotten the message at 8. Seems the guy was an early riser. Zane’s head immediately filled with thoughts of “Oh then it’d never work out, since I don’t like early mornings” a million other things, and an equal amount of contradictions to the other things.

He would have to talk to his therapist about this tomorrow.

Because it was rude, and for as much of an asshole as he was, Zane didn’t really like being rude, he responded at two, right before his second class started so he’d have a good excuse to ignore whatever the guy responded with, because he was still feeling avoidant.

Yeah, afternoon now though

Zane turned his notifications off and put his phone in his bag as the professor walked in, and tried his very hardest not to think about it during class. Which was unsuccessful, Zane barely paid any attention in this class, but that was fine, he had enough autopilot in him to take notes on everything being talked about, he’d just read over the hopefully coherent notes later.

Fingers met phone case as soon as he was in the hall, however, there wasn’t a reply.

That made him somehow more anxious. He was supposed to rationalize and make a decision on what happened, according to his aforementioned therapist, so instead of spiraling he decided the dork must be in class. And if that wasn't the truth, bite him, because it was that or he was being ignored and Zane wasn’t supposed to entertain thoughts like those.

At 5:30 ish while he was distracting himself from homework with a new show he was watching, Zane’s phone buzzed. He’d be embarrassed to admit how fast he picked it up.

Sorry! I turn off notifications during the day
Hope you didn’t miss me too much ;)

Somehow that idiotic comment brought him relief, and that realization made him uncomfortable again, but still, he'd been waiting on a response for nearly two hours and made this guy wait all day, so he responded promptly.

Phone cleanse?

Yeah
Something like that
I basically realized that I pay more attention to my phone than the people I'm with sometimes
And that's mean so I turn the phone off

How polite of you

Why thank you
I don’t imagine you were waiting on me
Were you?

Was trying to distract myself from my homework actually

Ohhh
Maybe you should get on that?

I don’t want toooo

Lmao
Can I be a distraction then love?

Zane recognized the little jump in his chest, the buzz to his breath that came from knowing that someone actually wanted to talk to him. For now he let himself enjoy it.

I wouldn't mind that..

Chapter Text

“It’s not that serious..” Zane scratched his masked cheek with one finger, then nervously adjusted his apron. “I don’t think”

He was at work, and prying cat ears had clued in on the fact that he was waiting on his phone, a message, she guessed and had assumed correctly.

“Not that serious? How many days? In a row, Kawaii~Chan means.” Her sharp eyes noticed his hands moving to his pocket again after his phone buzzed.

“Six. Days.” He responded robotically.

She vibrated visibly.

This was her thing, Kc and romance. Zane had known that since the high school lunchroom they shared together, overhearing her talking about other people's love lives like soap operas. He knew a lot more about her then she did him, but he was like that with everyone, observations, mental notes, and apathy. Know thine enemy, he always told himself. Memorizing people's hobbies and interests to best avoid them, he told himself. His therapist said otherwise, that he was being parasocial about it or something.

“That’s a long time for Zane Kun, No? To keep in touch with a person?” Her ear twitched as she tilted her head.

A customer walked in and Zane took the escape that gave him from this conversation. Kc managed to overhear and start the order, and with no more customers it left Zane having to come over and help, since it was two drinks, which put them within talking distance again.

“Hmmmm?” She drew out a questioning hum and Zane sighed. Does he have to answer? No. Does he want to talk about it? .. Maybe. Is Kc a good person to talk about it with? No. But Aphmau would be even worse.

He went through his social checklist in his head. Make an effort. He can do that. Talk about their interests. His love life is her interests, So check. And,, confidence or something. Tentative check. Which isn't confidence he knows.

“It's online, or over text I mean. I don’t know him.” He found himself talking.

Her ears perked at the word “him” and Zane realized his mistake, she again, was far too visibly excited to be comfortable, calling out the finished drink too loud and Zanes right after as they joined each other by the call counter. That was a good part of working with her, Zane didn’t have to call drinks.

“It’s long distance?” She vibrated

Zane shook his head “I dunno. Aph set us up, I could know him, I don’t even know his name.”

She looked awestruck for a long uncomfortable moment, then a cheshire grin took over her cheeks and she started giddily giggling. They’d talked about it before, she knew to reel herself in around him, he didn’t know how long that would take so he went to sit back behind the espresso machine out of view of customers while he waited for her to expend her extra energy.

“That's so! Mmm!” She spun around in a circle. “It's like one of Kawaii~Chan's BL K-Dramas!”

The customer tentatively took their drinks and left without asking KC for a to-go carry-er. Fair. Zane would have dipped also, if he could. But he was at work, so he couldn’t, and thus, his
phone was in his hand again.

Pitiful dork:You said you'd be at work…

He clicked on the notification.

You said you’d be at work
but I found this thing and I wanted to show it to you
Its called watch party
It will let us share our screens but it's anonymous!
We can watch anime togetherrr <3

He is disgustingly cute.

Anonymous how? Zane typed up a quick response and went to go back to work, but the response bubbles popped up quickly, so he stayed to talk. Save for the Mefwa twirling around in front of him.

As in can’t even make an account and assigns you a random name

Hm

I know! You're considering it?

Can you change the random name it assigns you?

Oh
Let me check
..
Yeah! Why?

Our contact names, we can use those.

Cutie! That’s an adorable idea my lovee

Kc and another customer interrupted before Zane could respond to that, and through the order after that one she managed to calm herself down enough to be able to speak properly.

“And.. Zane kun doesn't know who he's talking to?” She asked

Zane’s phone buzzed again and he fought himself not to look at the message, it was probably the dork flirting because he was taking so long to respond after getting called “Love”.

“No. Just talking to him” He slipped his phone into his pocket and her catlike eyes followed his movement until meeting Zane’s gauze again.

“So.. Zane Kun’s Lover could be anyone?” She grinned

“Do not call him that!” Unfortunately his ears warmed and that was enough for Kc to know her teasing had worked

“He could maybe go to this university? What does Zane kun think?” She pressed

“Zane kun thinks he doesn't want to find that out yet” He snipped as he pulled his godforsaken serotonin box back out of his pocket and focused on the message the dork had sent instead of the fujoshi in front of him.

You should just ditch work
I thinks
Don’t have to worry about all that

His dork was a bit of an attention seeker, he'd realized over the days spent talking to him. Not a lot but an amount worth counting of messages along the lines of “you should quit x” and the implication that he was the alternative entertainment.

But to be fair, it usually worked, Zane in reality really liked that this guy wanted so much of his attention. It made Zane feel needed.This was sure to not turn out obsessive or toxic in any way.

Oh how pleasing that would be, Unfortunately I need money
No more bothering me right now, my coworker is going to become even more enamored with my romantic endeavors if this keeps up

Oh??

No.

Zane put his phone back in his pocket and KC was staring at him. He never understood how people didn’t find Mefwa spooky. Zane thinks all cats and cat-like creatures are spooky, with their slit eyes and sharp teeth. Everything about the girl in front of him screamed predator. And Zane felt like a slab of meat under her gauze.

“Kawaii~chan is just curious!” She smiled with the aforementioned fangs. “Do you talk about him with others? Too?” Her eyes were focused and sharp as they side eyed a customer for interrupting them, then put on her face to go take orders.

A group of three girls came in and ordered two drinks each so Zane took half and the muffin the previous guy had ordered and when they were moving around each other and the machines behind the counters he spoke about it, again, somewhat willingly this time.

“My therapist knows. I had a session with him two days ago.” His eyes were on the drinks as he collected shots of espresso in cups, working his way through syrups.

“What does Zane Kun’s therapist think?” She sing songed quietly.

Zane grimaced a little, he didn’t like talking about therapists. He was happy he lectured KC on not pushing him on things, she'd gotten a lot more patient. Milk, ice, lid, x3 plus Kc’s made six drinks up on the counter between them and a Mefwa calling out all of them. Zane retreated to their out of sight seating area, because of course customers shouldn’t know they were people with legs who could get tired. Kc took post nearby.

“He.. thinks this is good for me. Low effort, low stress.. Human connection.” Zane was looking at his black phone screen if only to avoid eye contact. “And Aphmau knows, but I'm making her wait two weeks for updates, so.. There won't be any input from her until next next study night, which is Tuesday the.. Uh..” He flicked open his phone for the calendar function. “Fifteenth.”

Kc hummed in controlled agreement. “Can Kawaii Chan have any more details?”

Zane thought about it a little, the meeting with his therapist had gone well, he’d shown off some of the dorks behaviors and the therapist didn’t really like the whole “pay attention to me” Schtick blind date boy had going on, but Zane couldn't blame him, nor could the therapist. His social battery hadn’t been draining since the fourth day of talking with Pitiful Dork, which was a big thing. The first couple days especially had him really drained but day five, aka yesterday, he explained to Kc, he had woken up refreshed (surprising in its own right) and kind of excited to talk to his over text not yet a boyfriend.

“So Zane kun and.. Zane kun’s not lover.. aren't Lovers..” She mused. “Until when? Do you start dating soon?” She put a finger to her chin to question like an anime girl, Zane ignored the action and pretended it was normal, which for the Mefwa, it was.

Zane sighed. “I dunno.” he shrugged “We agreed we could flirt.. And neither of us are talking to anyone else, me especially. I think.. I should double check that.. Probably.” His chest tightened and he tried to wave off the anxiousness that gave way in his expression.

Kc mimed patting Zane on the shoulder because she knew she couldn’t actually touch him, he actually appreciated the gesture, which surprised him.

His therapist had told him that this disgusting feeling he got in his chest every time he thought about someone getting closer to him was called feeling vulnerable and Zane did not particularly enjoy the vulnerability, however he was also assured that it would be rewarding in the end, and the long time benefits of becoming closer to people would show their heads once he let that happen instead of just sitting with the yuck.

He rationalized, was the Mefwa girl someone he'd be interested in having around? Possibly. Was she someone who was going to be around regardless of whether or not Zane liked it? Yes. Would he be able to enjoy that time more if he were closer and more comfortable with her? His therapists voice told him yes. He offered a hug.

Kawaii Chan took the offer and only squeezed Zane a little too hard instead of a lot too hard and promptly released him. Success.

Chapter Text

Hey dork

What's up, dickhead?<3
I thought work was today?
Messaging me is sooooo important? ;)

Zane rolled his eyes through a smirk and flipped over onto his stomach to continue texting among his blankets on his bed feeling none too dissimilar to a school girl kicking her feet at her latest crush. They’d gotten used to the sharp conversation, they’d talked about preferences and what not slowly in the last week and a half. An “is this okay” here or a “you can do that” there.

Yeah, maybe.
I got work off today since someone wanted my shift
They wanted more hours and I wanted free time

And my lover has chosen to use that free time to text me?

So you want me to stop?

NO WAIT- okayyyy I will be quiet
What would you like my attention for? Darlingggg?

Zane propped his phone up on his pillow to watch as the dork began to backtrack and freak out, it made him feel a little (a lot) special to have this guy kick up a fuss about him. It was nice.

Pleeeeeease come back?
Helloooooo?
Youre reading these
Heeeey
I miss you did you know that?
And I caaaaare about you
And Ill stop teasing you! Promise!

Fine yeah, movie?
Like right now

YES.

Zane chuckled at his phone and, cursing his feeling like a school girl, went quickly to set up his laptop on the other half of the bed. He pillowed a blanket under his chest since he had to use his pillow to hold up the computer and opened the website they used to movie share, they'd only done this once before, but Zane had bookmarked the website.

He’d found out that they both had shitty internet no matter who was streaming vs watching, which they chaulked up to probably living in the same town. Zane’s mind urged him warning to not ask about campus. He already knew they both went to college and knew aphmau, the likelihood was high that the dork went here. Like every other fucking person Zane knew. But he still wasn’t quite ready to have the rug ripped out from under him. He didn’t want In person things to start yet. He wasn’t prepared for that.

Loading screen of death for too long left a while to think, but when it finally all came together “Pitiful Dork” was right there waiting for him, fresh message in the in room chat and everything.

Heyyyyy, what movie?

Dunno, hadn’t thought that far.

Zane's therapist’s voice urged him to add “I just wanted to hang out with you” but he was already embarrassed. Possibly later. Save that for closing statements. Later.

That’s okay! Itssss liiiiike- midday right?
So we can watch two movies if you like
/have already eaten lunch

I have. Its one for me.

Ah, me too!

There was a noticeable pause where neither of them texted. The dork was possibly thinking about what movie to choose, but Zane figured his mind was right where he expected it to be. On how easy it would be to ask “Hey do you go to falconclaw uni? I do. And my name is-.” and ruin this whole thing they had going on.

When we know each other in real life Ill take you out to the theater on thursday nights when it’s all empty and quiet <3

Maybe “ruin” was a strong word, Zane smiled to himself.

That sounds nice. As long as you don’t try to be a freak about it.

Whaaaaat? Me? A freak?
Thinking about us making out in a movie theater??
Noooooooo
Insane to think like that me thinks
Thinking abouttttt other things?>
I could never
Not a freak, btw, in case you were curious

Any possibility my freak is lying a little bit?

A little bit
Maybe

Speaking of freaky-ness
Wanna watch “the summer hikaru died?”

Whats that?

After an expansive and excited recap of the plot, the show was on. Zane was sending over fanart in the parts he knew were slow enough for the dork to be on his phone and they were texting in the in room chat about the series. They got into a bit of a conversation after about guilt complexes and doomed yaoi, rightfully so, and then moved on, after watching a movies worth of the anime. to an actual movie.

And then a third

And then a dinner break

And a fourth

And then by the dorks recommendation they were watching godzilla minus one at almost midnight. Zane let him geek out about it, tell him all the godzilla fun facts he knew. All the actors' names and what the dork knew about them. About the movie production. After all, the fourth movie was Fight club and boy did Zane have things to say about that one.

It was less of a realization more than a thought, but Zane had just spent what? Nearly 12 hours with this boy? And he was comfortable? And he didn’t feel drained? And he didn’t want to go?

Worst of all, Zane was feeling tired! He was an insomniac by nature, usually it was two before his brain considered sleep, but wrapped up comfy in bed watching a movie with his not yet boyfriend had him relaxed an hour or two before he’d usually be thinking about it, let alone sleeping. Reading dork’s messages and funfacts. He felt nice. Safe. For once.

He thought back to Thursday on shift with Kawaii-chan. When were they actually supposed to make it official? When was the right time for that? Zane wasn’t worried about the dork not fitting him well anymore, they got along like a moth to flame, and fuck did it feel like Zane was the moth. He’d probably die if the dork said no or wait when he asked. He had a feeling he’d say yes, excitedly yes. But still.

They were kind of obsessed with each other. Which was a strange feeling. Good morning. Good night. How was class? What did you eat today? What's your favorite anything? Can you talk to me more please? Please? Both of them vying for the others attention, without the begging on Zane's part but if he was a little less ashamed of how he was feeling it honestly wouldn’t take much for him to get there.

He decided that usually relationships don’t start this fast and that he’d inform his therapist of the situation before texting the dork about it. Zane knew he couldn’t trust himself on relationship stuff. But he supposed maybe he could trust his would-be boyfriend about it?

Zane had just decided that if he was told to wait he'd implode, and if he did bring it up his intention was to make the dork wait until after he talked to the therapist. But said therapist also encouraged open communication, so maybe they could just both implode as they made the decision to wait together.

Zane looked down to find messages about Godzilla and the movie still flowing freely, he read to catch up and commented about how it's kind of cool that he knew all this stuff

Oh please- im just some geek

Yeah, a geek that I like.

He decided not long ago that flirting was fun, he sprinkled it in every now and again to keep things interesting but not so commonly that it lost its edge.

FLIRTINBG
Helloooooo handsome
Thank you for liking my geek-y-ness

How could I not? You enjoy my nerd-ing out about my shit.
Like toxic yaoi and Fight Club. Which are one and the same if you really think about it
which i do.

Wheres all this coming from? Complements and flirtingggg
Could it be that he likes me? ;)

Yeah.
Enough to ask, well, not to ask you out

Awwwe

But to ask you when I am allowed to ask you out.

WHAT?

The movie paused because the dork was the one streaming it, aaahhg serious talk time. Zane hated this. It felt so pressured. Mentally he reminded himself not to close off. That it was okay and that this was safe. That the dork was NICE because of course he was. So caring and nice.

I thought you said we were waiting?

I didn’t figure that would be indefinitely.

IM NOT OPPOSED
Just confused
I really won you over that fast? ;0

Yes, in fact, you did.
But you just aired my issue.
The fast part

So we are still waiting?

Yes.

Anddddd
you'd like to know how long we should wait?

Yes. your opinion?

Well I want you now,, sooo
But im impatient and also obsessed with you

Unfortunately I feel similar

Unfortunately?
THAT MEANS YOU WANT RIGHT NOW TOO?

Yes, i do still think we should wait
I was going to ask my therapist
About this

Ohhhhh, hmmmm yes
Outside sources
Why unforch tho?

Yes
Unfortunately* because I feel like I’m about to implode
Good way, I suppose

Imploding because you can’t date me yet? How romanticccc

I fear this is the infatuation stage. I have never been loved like this,
freely and seemingly effortlessly
so I understand why I am clinging to it.

My dear this is the infatuation stage, you're right
That’s not something to be scared of
The problem comes when the next stage is disinterest instead of romance

And how would one avoid that?

Putting in effort to love

Hm, details.

You enjoy movies and hate movie theatersss bc ppl are loud nd evil
I take you on thursdays when they are quiet and you can enjoy your movie

Actions = love?

I could say yes, obviously theres more
Actions with intent of making the other feel loved = love
Loved = cared about and taken care of

There is a difference?

Cared about- Like someone WOULD put in the effort
Taken care of- When someone DOES put in the effort

So, they can exist in isolation?

This felt kind of smart, Zane would have to tell his therapist about this.

Only cared about: doesn’t ever go through with actions
Only taken care of: Feels like they are forcing themselves/ don’t really want to

Zane considered asking his therapist if it would be too soon to ask to be wed to this man. Communication, Zanes mind urged

Do you think my therapist would agree to letting us be wed?

AJDGFF HELLO??

You seem good at this.
Why aren’t you with someone?

oof// sore subject

You don’t have to

Its okay- uhh
Basically i only ever got one or the other?
And the girls that are into me
Well they arent ever really looking for something permanent

How many relationships have you been in?

Godzilla was forgotten, 20 minutes from the end of the movie. Zane was far closer to awake now.

A looooot. I consider like, fwb and hook ups on my relationships list tho
Longest ive ever been in? Likeeee four months i think? And that was fwb not even romantic-
It always ends up that Im overwhelming or they liked me better when I didn’t want to know what they were up to every day

The girls liked you better.. When you ignored them?

When you put it like that-
Well no, I don’t think so
It was like “yes i want you to kiss me and take me on dates, no I will not introduce you to my family” type shit
So,, going nowhere surface level stuff

And with me?
Does it feel that way?

Not at all, darling, you let me rant about geeky stuff and want to know things about me!
And well you said you think im cool
And you flirt with me without it being so ill kiss you
Because I cant kiss you, even though im so sending kisses thru the screen rn
Its amazing honestly
This is the first time ive ever really
Well
Felt like this about someone
Like it could be a forever thing
And that you’d like me that long
And that you dont think im annoying
And maybe that i should stop rambling loll

Uh, no
Youre okay
Im crying is all

CRYING??

I have never felt like I do a good job caring for others
You have just told me how much you feel like I would do a good job of it
I would like to attempt a relationship with you
I am very scared of the idea that id do a bad job of it

I think you’d do amazing

I've told you a lot about my issues with relationships and intimacy and things
and you're still interested

Ive told you, lovingly, I can be respectful of that
I can be patient with you

Why would you want to?

If you try and tell me theres someone better, shove it
Respectfully you are the best thing Ive got right now
And I want you

Thank you.
I'll talk with my therapist about it more.
I'll get back to you on it.

That works for me, that’d be next wednesday, right?

Mhn. And I also wanted to say that I really do enjoy the time I spend with you.

I adore youuuu
I was kind of surprised! Its been so long today
You usually scurry off by now

Well Maaaaybe I enjoy you.
The rest of the movie and then bed? I know I'm keeping you up.

Yes, darlinggggg <3

Chapter Text

“So.” Aphmau closed her laptop and waited another moment before her phone buzzed. Zane took that as a signal to look up and found her holding her phone screen to his face, an event notification labeled “two weeks” showed at the top of her screen, and she peaked around it to smirk. “How's it been going?”

Zane couldn't help the eye roll, but the sigh was purposeful, “It’s.. been going.”

“Then..” Her excited hands came up to clasp around each other “you haven't stopped talking?”

He grimaced a little, “Well..”

Aphmau looked at him with determined impatience and Zane looked back with wavering trust. The girl had stuck to her word, she didn’t pester until the two weeks were up, even during the classes they shared and the previous study night. She continued excited but with lips zipped. But still, Zane owed her nothing, technically. If it made him uncomfortable then he didn’t need to explain, and contemplated keeping his secrets.. But even he wasn’t that private.

“We’ve talked.. nearly every day” He offered, acting nonchalant.

She beamed “Every day?! Wow, Zane! That's a lot for you, right?” her laugh was contagious, but Zane kept himself to only a masked smile.

“It has been, yes” His voice held an affection that was noticeable enough for her to pick up on and she nearly reached out to hug him but held her own excited hands back.

“Zane.” She spoke with a trembling voice instead

“Don’t overwhelm me with this Aphmau. It’s been..slow. He's fine with that. We.. we only just talked about..” He gestured quietly

“Oh- yeah, yeah I’m not saying anything.. Really” her hands fell down to her lap.

Zane sighed “I mean.. Like.. We just talked about relationship stuff. I'm talking to my therapist on Wednesday about it.” He brought his arms to himself.

Aphmau shook her hands in excitement as they shared a moment of silence, both aware of how little it would take for Zane to completely pull away from all this.

“He knows what he’s getting into with me. We talked about that at least.” He spoke, voice quiet.

Aphmau nodded and waited, chewing on her thumb nail and rocking back and forth on her floor cushion for Zane to offer up any other information.

“He.. is really nice. You were right about that, and patient.” The heat on his ears was recognizable and unwanted, but still, Zane was smiling.

Aphmau brought her hands to her mouth to keep from screeching or saying anything that would make Zane cringe away from all this, but she was still herself “Agh! Yes! I told you!”

His eye roll was recognized as affectionate by the both of them and Zane offered only a quiet bit of laughter as he sat back on his hands.

“Then, I can talk about him?” He asked wearily.

Her nod was immediate and excited and Zane rubbed his arm.

“When.. like.. A few days ago, when I brought it up, because he waited until I brought it up.. Oh! But earlier than that I told him about how I usually am in relationships. Avoidant, I mean.” He explained “Apparently he’s got an anxious attachment style.. But he’s used to avoidant people, and says he should be able to handle it. And then on Sunday when we were talking told me that he.. Still wants me.”

“Oh! My! Ireeene! Aaaaugh!” Aphmau squealed.

“Aph-”

“Right! Sorry!” She clapped hands over her mouth.

“He.. said he actually prefers more high maintenance people.. And that he himself is the kind of person who if he doesn't get spoiled every once and a while he’ll die.” Zane laughed. “His words.. So.. Yeah.” He looked up for her approval.

“Spoiled? Spoiled how?” She leaned forward with intense curiosity.

Zane’s fingers grazed the back of his neck in a nervous self soothing action as he leaned away from her. “I’ve.. I have been flirting with him.. A little bit. Makes him feel.. Uh, better about his advances with me.” His eyes trained on the floor and a little to the side.

Aphmau placed her hands to her mouth with a gasp, eyes widening. “Flirting?”

“I mean-” He waved his hands in front of himself nervously, “not really flirting in the way of being sweet or anything… But you know..?”

A smile cracked between her giddy laughter “Non sweet flirting? So what? You're insulting him?”

His huff was telling and Aphmau giddily giggled, then paused.

“So. Is it going well? Do you think?” She tilted her head closer.

It took a moment, but he nodded. Aphmau breathed a sigh with a smile. It was clear there was a lot being held back between them.

“Alright. Here.” Zane got her attention, “you get three questions,” He held up his fingers and felt his ears flush in the same moment, “-and as long as they're..” He burned slightly brighter “appropriate. Then I'll answer them.”

“Okay! Um- have.. Oh. oh..” She popped her knuckles and Zane felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up, “Okay, so you two have talked a small amount about expectations, right? Oh that's not my question- I mean- have you two talked about preferences?”

He ended up laughing at her rambling, “Uhmm, yeah, a bit. More about.. Personality more than anything else.. He uhm. Tends to like people who are.. He says sharp lipped.” Zane self consciously covered his mouth.

Aphmau gleamed “He likes that you bite back, you mean? Not my second question.” She went quickly back to thinking. “Have, hm.. Have you guys done anything together? Other than texting?”

Zane raised an eyebrow, “Well, other than movie nights.. no. We.. Aph you said we aren’t supposed to tell each other who we are, so, how would we do things together?”

“Oh! You two are still following that?! I figured it would of come out by accident by now!”

“No! It's a secret on purpose! We're both still alright with that.” He rubbed his arm, “I think.”

“How are you supposed to get closer then?”

Zane looked up, “Other than the watch parties.. Once, last week and then on Sunday too. There's this site, when you log on it gives you an anonymous profile and you can watch whatever the other person is hosting.”

“So you're gonna keep anonymous?” She tilted her head.

Zane avoided her eyes, “I mean, until one of us wants to bring it up, yeah. I still don’t want to, Aph.. It hasn’t been that long..”

After a moment Aphmau spoke purposefully, “That wasn’t my third question.” She paused, then gasped a small amount “Do.. Do you like him?” She asked with all her implications.

Zane sighed and covered his already masked face with his hands, nodding. “He’s so sweet, Aphmau! and patient! I dunno why he likes or wants me out of anybody, he could have anybody if they’d just get close enough to him!”

Aphmau's hands came to pull Zane’s down from his face, “Zane! Agh! You know something? He says the same things about you!” She let him go and pumped her fists about it “He drones oooon and on about how cool you are!”

Zane’s face fell, then rose, then fell again as conflicting emotions ran through him. “You weren’t supposed to ask! Aphmau! But- ah- He likes me? I thought he was just- you know, being sweet! And flirty! He's so flirty..” He covered his face as his ears warmed again.

“Ah- No! It was this morning!” She corrected, “He texted me this morning” She pulled out her phone and found the messages, “He said “It’s been two weeks right? Can I talk about him?” He’s literally drowning over you.” She smiled.

Zane fell back into the cushion behind him and stewed in his thoughts for a bit. “ Those were your questions, and I answered them. We're done talking about it.”

“You- You actually don’t want to know what he said about you?” Aphmau leaned closer.

He shook his head, “I’d have to ask first. If that's okay.”

“About what he said about you?”

“It was a private conversation between you two. I trust that you aren't sharing our private conversations with others, correct?” Zane pinned a scrutinizing gauze on her.

“I- uh.. Yeah okay we're done talking about it.” She slipped her phone in her pocket and Zane laid his head back again.

Despite the seeming end of the conversation.. Zane wanted to talk more. And also he wanted to mess with Aphmau a little bit.

“You know I kind of want to marry him.” He said out loud and promptly shoved the algebra 1 text book between his face and hers.

The grapple for the book ended in ripped pages and wrestling on the floor as Aphmau tried to force Zane to look at her while yelling “MARRY? AS IN HUSBAND? AS IN FOREVER?”

Zane wriggled free and brandished a pencil as if it were a sword “YEAH? And what of it?!”

“ZANE.” Aphmau slapped her hands into the carpet of her dorm from the floor and looked up at him. “That's so fast!! I didn’t think you were the type!”

Zane groaned and plopped crosslegged down on the floor, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Yeah.. I'm a little obsessed with him.. Honestly.”

“Ooooohe..” Aphmau giggled. And then gestured for Zane to rant.

“Like I know WHY. but like Whhhyyyyy” He flopped dramatically on his side to emphasize his point. “I am Zane Ro’Mauve. I am NOT supposed to marry a college sweetheart. I'm supposed to be an emo hermit for the rest of my life and possibly get involved with my future neighbors “Neighborhood watch”. You know?” He gestured. “My vibes Aphmau. Slaughtered. I'm in love.”

Aphmau jumped up to do a little victory dance in a circle while Zane brooded cross armed on the floor. Apparently that was enough for the poor student beneath her dorm to finally get pissed off enough to slap the ceiling with whatever they could reach with. Aphmau yelped in surprise as Zane rattled with the floor as it was thumped three or four times.

They made eye contact. Zane laughed. “I think you're going to be hunted for sport if you keep thundering about this late.” He went to sit up and Aphmau puffed her cheeks.

“I am not! Thundering! I'm being excited for GOOD reason!” She stressed each exclamation with a pointed finger and Zane sighed.

“Let's go on a walk, fresh air would do us some good anyway, or whatever.” Zane tilted his head in a half shrug. Aphmau huffed through putting her shoes on and all the way down the stairs but soon they were out in the fresh, nearly autumn, nighttime.

They had to walk all the way to the edge of campus before Zane would let Aphmau start talking. She looked like she wanted to speak but they kept passing by other students and Zane kept shushing her, obviously not wanting to talk about it where other people could hear.

“Oh! Hey!! Aphmau!!” A familiar voice to the both of them came from before them. Zane looked up to find the white haired freak that tagged along with Aphmau in highschool. He didn’t remember much about the guy.

“Travis!!” Aphmau exclaimed suspiciously worriedly “Uh,,” She glanced at Zane and then back to Travis as he bounded up, the blue haired guy behind him. Zane narrowed his eyes at Aphmau, trying to piece together what was going on that he wasn’t catching up with.

He glanced over at Travis, who had on a sleeveless hoodie. Zane appreciated the view for what it was, a view. And then was caught staring.

“Well hey there, hot stuff, enjoying the eye candy?” Travis flexed as he winked his way and Aphmau worriedly glanced between them.

Oh. So THAT's why Aphmau is worried. Travis is an annoying presumptuous flirt.

Zane crossed his arms “If only it had any taste.” He shot back, defensive.

“Puh-lease,” Travis rolled his eyes. “I doubt you’d be complaining about the taste if you gave yourself a chance to tryy~”

Zane scoffed and Dante came up to back up his friend.

“Hey! What's your damage? You were the one ogling him to begin with!”

Travis knocked his knuckles to Dante's chest before Zane could spit back

“Dan, it's not that deep,” Travis chuckled.

Oh.. again. Travis had been joking that whole time. Far less annoying.

“Anyway, not to bother two gorgeous individuals any longer, but if you've got the free time we're throwing a party this saturday”

Aphmau, who had been standing stock still this whole conversation burst back to life, “OH! Party?! Yeah sure!” She said rushed. “Just you know. Text me” She smiled, placing her hand on Zane’s shoulder, who glanced at her. Why was she so..??

Travis easily caught Zane’s attention again, suggesting “I could text you about it too, if you could give me your number?” He winked and Zane felt appalled at the idea that he didn’t mind the attention that was being directed his way. He half reached for his phone before Aphmau laughed awkwardly and pushed Zane out of Travis' way and ushered them down the sidewalk.

“Oh no! Really-” She smiled as she scooted them further away, Zane’s phone out of his pocket but phone number-less “I’ll make sure Zane gets there! Just text me! That would be fine.”

Travis was left with his arm half extended toward where Zane used to be standing and then smoothly ran his fingers through his hair to make up for being left hanging. Zane thought about the more athletic man’s arms again and mentally chastised himself. He could make friends, but he did not need to be thinking anyone was attractive, he still had his own boyfriend to sort out.

Zane hmmed in agreement as he let himself be pulled away. After a few more steps he spoke “Yeah, I dunno why I was about to let him take my number” He scratched the back of his head, assuming Aphmau had gotten him out of there on account of Zane being flirted with.

“Yeah..” She looked over at Zane. “Travis’ charm is really.. Uh.. something? Yeah?” She laughed.

Zane felt like he was somehow out of the loop. Maybe Travis and Aphmau had unruly history or something.. He had thought they were friends, with the whole highschool thing. But who was he to guess at relationships? He only had like.. Two. Outside of family. Aphmau and his dork of a not-yet-boyfriend. And he guessed his pink co-worker. Maybe he should go to the party?

Having friends did feel kind of nice sometimes…

“So..” Aphmau broke Zane's line of thought, leaning into his space with careful eyes and curiosity on her lips “..What did you think of him?”

Zane thought it over “Uh.. of Travis?”

“So you remembered his name?” Her head tilted

Was that all that important?.. maybe it was. He didn't know his coworkers name, he just new it was a very distinct and rememberable name.. which served him no real purpose.

The name Travis felt nice stuck in his head. It seemed easier. Zane nodded once after a while.

“..and?” She urged.

Zane shrugged half-heartedly “He.. seems nice? I thought he was annoying at first but he's calmer than I expected.”

“And the flirting?”

Zane looked up to find her eyes focused on him, uncomfortably so.
“I.. didn't mind it? I guess I've gotten used to how the dork acts so it didn't bother me.” He shrugged again. “Speaking of. What's with all these distractions? I thought I was talking about my boyfriend. Not Travis.”

Aphmau snorted once, and then nodded for Zane to continue with the conversation, rounding campus once and ending up back at Aphmau’s dorm too late to warrant studying anymore. And Zane walked back to his dorm alone.

He saw Travis across the parking lot, just getting out of someone's car. Zane people watched, as he usually did.

They had food from the chicken place down the way. They were laughing. Walking the same way.. Travis lived in the same dorm?

He stayed back under a tree as he watched them enter the building, not wanting to run into them and be forced to socialize. Travis had held open the door for his friends, he chanced a glance out into the parking lot and spotted Zane under the tree.

He didn't have time to panic before Travis smiled, waved, and then let himself inside the building, leaving Zane unbothered.

The relief was overshadowed by a silly warmness around his cheeks. He really had to pull himself together. He had a boyfriend (not yet) now.

Thoughts wandered to the party as he made his way to bed that night, skin on sheets and brain on repeat as he walked through his day. His weekly therapy appointment was tomorrow.. he could go over all this then, he urged himself to allow sleep.

Chapter Text

Zane always chose the chair over the couch of his therapist's office, he thought it gave him more dignity, felt safer than being able to lean back. He liked his in person meetings far more than his therapy video calls he had to have when he wanted advice outside his scheduled time, he'd been having a lot of the video calls recently and was always glad to see the kind -in real life- face of his therapist, even if the bus ride over was a little grating.

He was pulled from his thoughts.

“So? How was the week?” His therapist asked.

“Mm. I actually had something specific I wanted to talk about” He eyed the wall behind the desk rather than his therapist's eyes.

“Right? Shoot” He gave a kind smile

“You know the guy?”

“The dork.”

“Yeah, that nickname, and I told you about all of that, uh.. you don't think any kind of way about that?” Eyes on his hands, fidgeting.

“I don't, but are you stalling?” The older man snapped his fingers, something Zane had told him to do to get him out of his own head.

It worked.

“Yeah. Uh. Well, I want to date him.” Zane talked like he was asking permission.

After a moment of silence, “And?”

Zane looked up. He wasn't supposed to do if his therapist thought that was a good idea. He wasn't.

“Do you think I'm rushing it?” He reframed instead.

“Does it feel that way?” His therapist, therapist-ed him.

Zane groaned a little and leaned on the arm of the chair.

“I'm scared of it.”

“That makes sense.”

“It does..” Zane thought over it “but I want it.”

“Pros and cons?” His therapist guided.

“Pro. Boyfriend. He's really nice. He.. is kind to me.” Zane paused “con. Could leave me”

Silence dipped and his therapist spoke again.
“Which category did you list more in?” he urged.

Zane looked up. “The first” he paused “and there's actually more in that category. Like it feels like he cares about me.”

“And would care for you?” His therapist referenced when Zane had told him about that conversation

Zane nodded eagerly. “I don't get drained around him, I just… in the beginning I got scared that he didn't like me and shut him out.. but we've been talking for.. for two weeks now. And..” Zane stopped

“Hm?” The man gave a little noise of support

“And I like him a whole lot.” Zane pulled his legs up to his chest and crossed his arms over them. “But what if he changes his mind, or I'm too much? Or.. any of the other bad things that I'm too up in my head to list right now?”

“Zane, you know people leave other people all the time. You know some relationships are temporary. You don't want this one to be.” His therapist paused as Zane held himself tighter
“Love and hurt go together. You will hurt. Sometimes he will hurt your feelings, make you upset, bother you, annoy you.” He chuckled a bit
“The question is, do you think he is going to hurt you on purpose? And do you think he will fix it on purpose?”

Zane thought, and his therapist gave him time to do so.

“I think.. he would get real upset if I told him he hurt me” Zane spoke softer than before, more relaxed. “I think he'd wanna fix it”

His therapist nodded. Zane was still holding himself.

“Do you think he's the kind of person who would leave a relationship abruptly?”

Zane let his chin rest on his crossed arms
“I think.. he values relationships a lot.”

His therapist nodded. “That sounds true from what you've told me of him.”

“And.. he hates that his past relationships were shallow..”

“So?”

“..” Zane looked up a little bit. “I'm.. gonna tell him he can ask me out”

His therapist quarked an eyebrow. “Tell *him* he can ask you? You don't want to ask him?”

“I do! Just- he really wants to be the one to ask me.. is all” Zane got a bit embarrassed. And his therapist laughed a little.

“Anyway! That's sorted. So.” Zane shrugged
“The rest of my week was fine.”

As they moved onto other things Zane was able to relax more, letting his legs down and having a less pointed conversation with his therapist.

After draining classes and a shitty dinner from the cafeteria he got on his phone. His dork shouuuld have messaged him about an hour ago, and low and behold.

heyyy, hot stuff ;)

Zane's skin pricked at the flirty tone. The dork must of called him this sometime before, it felt familiar in a weird way.

You're eatingggg dinner but I've got somethin else in mind for snackin’ on
Hunt: it's you
Hint*
Lmao, hunt, hunt you for sport
Super extra tag

All of the messages came in a few minutes apart, Zane didn't really mind, he kept his notifications off so it didn't bother him. Especially in class. He refocused to smirk down at his phone

You're going to hunt and then eat me? What are you a dog?

Three dots popped up immediately, The dork was waiting on the reply

My love!! You have returned to me
I was gonna starve to death! But nowww eheheheee
And yeah, horndoglmao

What's up with you? Pretty direct flirting there, Romeo.

I had a shot or two

You're underage.

I am

Jail.

Nooooooooreehh
How will I have pretty hot cute adorable boyfriend in JAIL?

I'll send you letters <3

🥺? You would send me letters if I was jailed?
N’ don't worry, I just feel sorta fuzzy, it's no biggie and I'm at my dorm so no driving for meeeees

And the other people with you?

Just my one friend, his girl broke up with him, he's 22 so went out and bought some and didn't wanna drink alone
So I took one with him

You said or two

It miiiight have been like 2nand a half

Stop drinking.

Yessir!

But, very kind of you to be there for your friend while he's having a hard time

Why thank youuu <333

Welcome, is your friend still there?

He's passed out kmaoo

So you're free to talk to me?

Yeeeaas
THERAPY
YOU HAD E THERAPY

yes dear, I had e therapy.

Dear! Oh darling sweetest dearest thing! Tell me it's so!

What are you talking about?

Like the opposite of “say it ain't so” yk?

That is not a saying

It could be! Anyway!! Tell me I'm allowed to ask you out!! <3

What if the answer was no?

I'd wake my friend up so I could sob into his arms…

Good thing its a yes then

YES

BUT!

awwweee buts
Eheh I like butts

Freak. Anyway, you aren't allowed to ask tonight. You're tipsy or whatever and that would be emotionally weird for me. So wait until tomorrow

He assumes I would pump the gun and go right ahead? I was gonna plan our something tomantin!
Romantic

Tomantin, I'm swooning

Romantic!!

Yes I heard you, it will be very tomantin, I'm sure

Romantiiiiic with a kiss!

A kiss means in real life, we are phone lovers

Not yet! I gott a ask you out, so soon! L
And I plan to figure out who you are before I ask <3
Ignore the L

L plus ratio rip bozo? Is that the thing?

YOU GUCKING FOT MEEE
yeah like 2 year old meme but you got it

Twitter thing

Yupp, my love is soooo smart eheheee

Thank you
How does being drunk feel?

Ohhh, curious?

Kind of the opposite? Like I don't wanna, but I wanna know what you're feeling, you know?

You picked that up from em, me, that, yk? You kjow? Anyway
I'm warm and fuzzy, andddd my head a little eeyach and my fingers hard to do

Fingers hard to do ✔️ noted

Hard to move!

Ohhh, I see I see
Fingers hard to *move ✔️

Thank you for your correction note taker man

Of course, of course
But really thats it? Fuzzy, nauseous, and difficulty with motor skills?

Yeap

Why do people choose to do that to themselves??

Well, if you *keep* drinking no more nauseous because you can no longer feel your body, Dante says
I MEAN MY FRIEND

Why did you freak? I dunno anyone named Dante, or.. at least I don't think I do.
I do not give a fuck about most people's names..

Oh, yay! I didn't accidentally prematurely reveal myself

Yeah, or at least I haven't connected the dots

Zane thought to himself. The name Dante felt familiar for sure. But a lot of things with the dork have been feeling familiar recently, so it's probably nothing.

You're still not wanting to reveal, yeah?

Hmm.. that should probably happen before we start dating..
I guess

It doesn't have to! I would loveee to date you, plus you know all about my personality, I pinky promise I'm suuuuper duper hot so don't worry

You make me laugh, which I appreciate
I bet you are super duper hot, the issue is if that version of hot is my type

What's you're type?

You <3

AUFH FLRITING!
DIRECT ATTACK YOU FUCK <3
You got me blushinnn and shii
But be so fr
Do you want me to tell you who I am before we date?

Zane took long enough to respond that the dork texted again

It's okay if that means we wait longer, heaven and earth for you my love <3

We’ll have to wait longer..
I don't actually know when I'll feel okay about it.
I hope soon
I like you a lot

I like you a lot too <3

I like you so much

Awee, are you being emotional a bit my dear?

Crying again. Always crying, damnit.

That's okayy, id hold you real gentle if I was with you
Keep you safe and pat you while you're going thru it

Fuuuck. Can I pros and cons with you?

Whas that?

Of knowing who you are

Uuueh yeah

Pros: we get to start dating, you could be really hot and really cool and really amazingg (you are)
Cons: I might not get along with your friends, other people around you might dislike me, your image might be hurt from being with me

My love did you KILL someone what's with all the self image talk?

People don't like me.

I like you <3

Well thank you. But you don't really know that, for sure

I could air that, I could say that you're right,
that I might not like you when I meet you in person
but I believe that I will, so can you believe me?

It's hard to believe.

That I like you?
It feels like you think I'm lying

I don't think you're lying.
That you could want me. You don't even know what I look like.

We both know that don' mayter to me
Wowwe typo
You really are torn up, you aren't even making fun of me?
How can I prove it?

You won't be able to
I'm going over it in my head.
I can handle it

I don’t know what to do
Like at all

How are you feeling on it?

Torn up the same
V’ never met someone who told me they thought so low of themselves
I bet people like you
I just
Well I don’t actually know you so I don’t know
Youre so likable
To me
I just don’t know

Thats okay
Im okay, promise
It's just sort of an observation I have
People avoid me
I push people away

You’re avoidant, you told me that
Thats why people don’t hang around you?
Would you be avoidant with my friends?

Probably

It makes sense then
Why you'd think people don’t like you
No one's ever gotten this close huh?
Me and aph?

Yeah. Aphmau is probably my only close friend
And that's just because our moms are friends
Or. That's not why she is my friend
It's how we met

Mm

Is this draining you?

A little
Probabky not helpful im a littly tipsy

Would you wanna go to bed?

Prolly should soon
Don wanna

Wanna keep talking with me?

Yeah
I want my friends to like you
I like you

For your sake I hope they do
But Im not sure on it

Yeah, Ill go to bed

Okay
Upset?

No
Not with you
Messed up about it
Prolly making myself sad on it
I hadn’t considered my friends not liking you

Sorry

Not your fault
Valid concern

I hope you sleep well

Thank you <3

Zane hearted the dorks final message for the night and laid his phone down on his chest. Staring at the tiles of his ceiling didn't help him decide if he felt any better about this. He kinda felt bad about it. It was true to him, people didn’t usually like him, but it felt so strange to have someone care about that fact so much. Tears welled up in the corners of Zane’s eyes again, if he'd decided already he wanted to be with this boy he could finalize at least one thing, after giving him nothing at all.

His hands shook as he typed out another message

“I love you”

And then fingers pressed firmly on the power button, shutting his phone down for the night. In the quiet of his darkened room, Zane felt a little more at peace.

Chapter Text

Vrrrm Vrrrm.

Travis rolled his eyes open from where he sat on the beanbag, Dante discarded face first on the floor next to him. He mindlessly checked his notifications.

“I love you”

Blurry eyes and a brain not yet caught up with realty checked to see whoever would send him that message randomly, only to find it was not, in fact, a random message from any of his other friends, whom he often tells “I love you” to, but the lovable bastard he’d just finished texting.

He nearly threw his phone trying to open the message and holey fuck! It was right there! The last time Travis had tried his whole “I love you” shtick the bastard had told him he didn’t want him saying that, that it felt too soon! AND NOW?? Here he was RECEIVING the “I love you”??

His buzzed brain was burring, immediately he sent it right back.

Undelivered..

Sent on his end, but unreceived.

DID HE GET BLOCKED RIGHT AFTER THE LOVE CONFESSION?!

No way! Right? Travis stood up to pace and nearly tripped over his aforementioned friend, he dropped to his knees and shook Dante awake.

“Dude-what fukin-”

“No hold on, shut the fuck up I think my lover blocked me.” Travis held the phone in front of Dante's face, the man leaned back to be able to read.

“Whuut.. Nah man.. It’d say you couldn’d send it if you were blocked.. t’ says didn’t deliver.” Dante’s head clonked back down onto the carpet which would undoubtedly exacerbate his hangover in the morning.

“You’re useless to me” Travis gestured to his pathetic blue haired friend and then stepped over to him, but the more Travis thought about it, while clutching his phone and staring at the undelivered message like sheer willpower would make it go through and pacing circles around Dante’s passed out body, he started to realize the merrit of the drunk's words.

The man had been blocked many a time, so he truly was the expert on the matter, however the alternative was that his lover's phone died. Which usually didn’t happen without him giving at least a 5% warning. And that didn’t make sense either.

What other option could there be If the phone didn't die? It had to be off.

Did.. did he turn it off?

“Ohhhhhhh” Travis halted and Dan stuck his head up

“Fighured it ouht man?” He raised an eyebrow.

“Yuh. Me thinks. Yaknow how he's avoidant?” Travis pointed to his phone and Dante's eyes searched for the “him” in question.

He gave up and laid his cheek back down on the carpet “I think I know what that word means”

“Yeah, good job buddy,” Travis crouched next to Dante and started petting his hair. “Well I think he sent it and powdered his phone off. Since he would of told me if it was close to dying, that makes sense right?”

Dante paused for a long while and then flipped over under Travis’ hand. “Avoidant.. is he avoids..”

“Very good” Travis condescendingly pat Dante on the forehead

“So..” he continued, unperturbed, “he is avoiding you responding to it.. turning his phone off?”

“Think so” Travis plopped down on the floor next to Dante and shimmied down till they were shoulder to shoulder. “I sent I love you right back… do you think I should tell him my response was fast? Since he's gonna see that if delivers when he turns his phone back on?”

Dante hummed in mock reply, and then begun snoring.

“Yeah me too buddy.. m tired.” Travis blinked at the ceiling.
“I like him a whole lot.. you know that?”

“Huhrm?” Dante lifted his head again.
“But how do .m.. you deal with the avoiding you thing? I'd get fed up”

Travis laughed a bit and looked over at his begrudgingly annoying friend. “Yeah. I've got a lot of patience.” He patted Dante on the chest. “Go to sleep bud, you're gonna need it.”

Travis laid his head down as Dante begun snoring again, lifting his phone to his face, he begun typing, this time in the notes app of his phone.

When sunlight found its way to the boys faces it was well past time to be awake. Travis sprung up off the floor and promptly fell on top of his friend who groaned in displeasure at the elbow in his gut.

“Fuck! Sorry- Sorry!” Travis scrambled as he realised his arms had fallen asleep since he laid on top of them like an idiot on the floor.

They both dragged themselves up and Dante groaned. Travis laid his top half on the bean bag, stretching his hands out in attempt to resuscitate his fingers.

“So..” Dante cracked his neck, groaned again and then made bleary eye contact with Travis. “What’s up with the lover?”

His newly located fingers found his phone case in the hoodie pocket of the garment that had been his pillow and got his password incorrect twice before he was in.

“He..” Travis looked at the messages. “He said “cool.” He cracked a smile.

Dante raised an eyebrow and moved, albeit slowly, to look at the messages.
“He said I love you, first time ever, you said.. “Oh my gods, I love you too thank fuck finally”

Dante side-eyed Travis. “Desperate”

Travis’ scoff was covered by Dante speaking again “And he said fucking.. Just cool? And you're totally chill with that? Really dude?”

“Says the guy with no girlfriend”

Dante socked Travis in the arm. “Fucking ouch dude.”

“Don’t diss my.. Lover.” He said, rubbing his arm.

“Yeah says the guy with no boyfriend” Dante crossed his arms and then laid back over on the floor.

“Yeah whatever..” Travis hunched his shoulders and went to text his bastard good morning. “ Me closer than you.”

They laid a while in silence, Travis typing some more..

“He's responding? Now?” Dante looked up.

“Huh? No.. I sent him good morning but.. Well he's in class right now, I think?” Travis went back to his phone. “I'm in my notes”

“Doing what?” Dante went to snatch Travis’ phone

Travis leapt out of the way and turned his phone off "I'll buy you breakfast if you stop asking about it!”

“The cafe on campus?”

“Deal”

“Fine.” Dante crossed his arms and both boys got up, content to skip the remainder of their classes that day.

Travis put his phone safely away

“Fuck its nearly THREE?” Dante asked, picking up his phone from where Travis had tucked it so no exes could be called while plastered.

“Man we were up till four.. Well.. I was. You were out around one but you also drank enough to drown a horse..” He huffed as he led them out the door.

Campus was quiet, every other responsible person at classes and the rest tucked away in their dorms from the mid September chill.

“Fucking hell.. Stupid weather, every other day it’s bullshit” Dante droaned on.

Travis tuned him out, knowing he was going to be in a piss poor mood until his hangover passed, and considering he had everything that Travis didn’t from the bottle he bought, it would be a while.

Travis thought more on what he was working on earlier.. And nearly got his phone back out, but thought better of it. Dante’s word wasn't worth much until he’d been rewarded, so he knew the man would pry further if he went back to his notes before Dante got his food.

“Hey dude, about the party..” Dante went on again. “Are you really serious about inviting fukin Zane?”

Travis clicked back in at the name and far too defensively spoke up “Yeah? What about it?” He stared Dante down.

Dante stopped them from walking with a hand on Travis’ chest “Woah well Okay. Fuck. I was just making sure, since he’s kind of a dickwad and all.” Dante rolled his eyes.

“Yeah, maybe. Shut up about it.” Travis pushed onwards. “Maybe I like dickwads, serves me right, being friends with you”

“DUDE”

“Oh my Irene, what?” Travis flicked his head around.

“Don’t compare me to ZANE.” Dante pushed him.

“You're being more of a dickhead by saying shit like that! Drop it man!” Travis shoved back and Dante nearly toppled over, but was caught again, by Travis.

He yanked the other man back to standing and held him by his collar. “Say another fucking word about it, and I wont be at the party.”

“Zane over me?” Dante asked, fury in his eyes.

“It makes sense, I'll explain it to you later, when you aren't being a douche and will be able to understand.”

Dante caught something in the cryptic response and finally did drop it. Standing enough that Travis could let him go.

The time to get ready and their little spat let it get closer to 3:30 when they finally made it to the cafe. Travis thanked each and every god that they had all day breakfast and purposefully led Dante to a table in view of the main counter, leaving him there to go order.

“Heeeeyyy Kc, how's it shakin?” He grinned at the girl and she bared her fangs with her smile.

“Travis-kun! Sweet surprise, what can Kawaii~Chan get for you?”

Travis’ eyes swept the back counter. “Just you today?”

“Nn, no. Ah- Zane-Kun will be here soon, at four, Kawaii~Chan thinks.” She put a finger thoughtfully and animatedly to her lip.

Travis laughed and made his order. “Ah yeah, just checking since it would totally suck for you to be here alone and all” He paid with his card and then saluted with two fingers before going back to his seat, facing the counter Kawaii~Chan was at.

He could see her staring at him. She looked contemplative.

He averted his eyes.

Their breakfast burritos were out in another ten minutes and Travis insisted they stayed to eat, despite the cafe being kind of loud

Dante grumbled about it but ultimately gave in when Travis said it had something to do with figuring out who his lover was.

Dante turned when Travis looked up to find Zane walking in and going behind the counter. Dante flicked his head to look at Travis and he was shushed too loudly.

Travis watched KCs ears perk toward the conversation and willed Dante to shut the fuck up for once in his life but alas.

“No WAY it’s fucking ZANE” He whisper screamed

“Shut your FUCKING loose lips,” Travis yanked Dante closer by the collar and leaned together over the table. “I'm not SURE. It's a.. A hunch.”

Dante raised an eyebrow, “.. an Informed hunch?”

Travis nodded, then glanced back to the counter where KC was standing mouth agape. She’d overheard. If Travis memory serves, Zane had informed his co-worker about their relationship, so using a bad situation to his advantage, Travis waved her over.

She nearly steamrolled past the counter to be filled in, Travis saw Zane return from clocking in and waited for him to sit behind the espresso machine where he couldn’t be seen.

Kc looked over her shoulder and then leaned down to meet Travis and Dante.
“Travis kun..?”

“Is it Zane? You know, right?” He asked excitedly but quietly.

She glanced over her shoulder and then turned to nod just as excitedly.
“Kawaii chan thinks so!” She whispered

Dante groaned and Travis tossed his fists up in triumph “yes, okay! Kc I need you on recon, I'm gonna text him, see if he goes on his phone and tell me if he does, I wanna make sure for sure, or- don't walk back over here, like- wave or something, okay?”

Kawaii chan nodded once and set off on her mission as Dante laid his cheek down on the table, groaning.

Travis got to work himself

Heyyyy Lover
you just got to work right?

Telepathic, I was just about to text you
Its boring over here

Travis looked up and Kawaii Chan was giving a thumbs up half hidden in her side, He nodded at her and went back to his phone.

How have you been feeling today?

Mm, telepathic again
Asshole
I've been better. Stuck in my head about our stuff

How do you mean?

Making you wait..

A customer walked in and the typing stopped, then Zane stood up to take the order since Kawaii Chan had conveniently just walked into the back. She peeked her head out and Travis nodded at her again, his lover had stopped typing when Zane left.

I don’t miiiind, you know that
Im obviously excited about it
And curious on who you are still
But I can wait

The messages weren't read until Zane had sat back down and Kc gave the nod that he was back on his phone

I still think you wont like me irl

I can almost assure you that I will in fact like you <3

You say that now, but you don’t even know who I aaaaammm
I can’t not be worried about that

Travis so so soooo wanted to tell Zane that he DID know and he DID still like him, but knew Zane would proooobably freak so instead he typed,

I Looooooove you <3

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Yeah? 🥺 you love me too?

Yes.

Can you trust me?

I dunno

Travis felt the sting with that message, he laid his elbows on the table and leaned into his phone, Zane responded again before he could type anything

I didn’t mean that
Its the bad part of my head
The stuff thats like

I know

I trust you
I want to trust you

I knoww <3

Im sorry

I know darling, and Its okay
Its okay if you don’t really trust me too
We.. in all actuality barely know eachother

That makes me upset
Thinking that we don’t know each other well

Another customer walked in but Kawaii Chan covered it.

What would you do if I found out? Like who you are
Before you were ready

Go insane I think.
I want to be the one to tell you.

Travis winced and typed up his message

That makes sense.. I also want it to be on your terms
So youre comfortable
That should really be the most important thing to me

But its not?

Im being selfishly curious

Im honestly curious too, but obviously, I don’t feel well enough with it

Travis sighed

Ill let you focus on work?

There was a pause

Upset?

Never with you <3
At the situation

Okay, and yeah, my co worker got the last three customers so I probably should go

I can still say I love you?

Yeah, I love you

I Love you too!! Have a good day at work dearest

Travis let out a little wistful sigh, hearted the message, then slipped his phone back in his pocket, he tapped Dante to wake up, as the man had taken an impromptu nap, and then waved Kawaii Chan down, Zane went to walk up but she gestured that she had it handled.

“Heyyy Kc, Again” Travis played it up a little, knowing Zane was paying attention. “Could that thing we were talking about be a secret? I dunno If I'm really ready for that to be common knowledge, you know?”

Zane visibly perked up when Travis said “you know”. It was a typing quirk he'd used a lot with Zane, which was also a speech quirk of his.
Travis focused solely on the girl in front of him and he could feel her forcing herself to not look at Zane either as she nodded. He smiled awkwardly and then led Dante out of the cafe before they became any more a bother to either of the cafe workers, and also so he could figure out how to buy Dante’s silence.