Chapter Text
Q woke up the next morning with the memory of Toey’s soft lips against his replaying in his mind.
That explained why he felt so warm, cheeks heated beyond belief as he lifted his fingers to his lips, tracing over them to revel in the recollection. His dream had simply been a replay of their entire date, from start to finish. Each time he revisited the memory, he was able to pick out extra details he hadn’t noticed the first time around, too caught up in his heart being stuck in his throat.
Toey had given him a few sidelong glances throughout the movie, checking to see if Q was looking at him. Of course, he was indeed staring every time, which prompted Toey’s cheeks to darken as he quickly returned his attention to the screen, pretending he hadn’t caught Q red-handed.
He was just so devastatingly cute, with those bright eyes reflecting the colors of the film, long eyelashes fluttering prettily with every blink. That adorable nose that crinkled when the main character said something cringey, those soft lips that parted in shock when something surprising happened.
Toey’s expressions were way more entertaining than any movie. In fact, if you asked Q, he’d say that Toey was his favorite film. He was the only thing Q wanted to look at, analyzing every tiny shift in his face morning and night, until someone had to drag him away kicking and screaming.
Then there was the way Toey had looked under the stars, bathed in the light of the moon; ethereal. He couldn’t possibly be human. The beauty he exuded far exceeded the boundaries of humanity, stretching all the way to the heavens, where he no doubt originated.
As he was pondering the possibility of Toey being a fallen angel, his phone chimed with a notification.
Good morning, P’Q! Let’s meet up before class! o(≧▽≦)o
He let out a lovesick sigh, hugging his phone to his chest as if it was the man who’d just sent a shockwave of overwhelming affection and adoration throughout his chest with less than ten words. He was easy like that, when it came to Toey at least. After so long of pining, Toey didn’t even have to say anything to get his heart racing. All he had to do was exist.
Today was going to be a good day.
Toey was sitting on the steps outside the art building, inspecting something between his fingers. When Q got closer, he saw that it was a tiny yellow flower.
“What’s that for?,” he questioned as he took a seat beside Toey, who brightened at his arrival, eyes sparkling and perpetual smile widening until it pushed dimples into his doughy cheeks.
Toey didn't respond immediately, because he was too busy sweeping his gaze over every inch of Q’s face, which made him feel a little embarrassed. He hoped he didn't have something on his face, or a hair out of place that made him look silly.
Then Toey was leaning closer, and Q was already turning red from the idea of being kissed right there, in front of the entire university.
He didn’t mind the concept as much as he thought he would. He was never one who wanted other people in his business, but being with Toey was nothing shameful. In fact, it was Q’s greatest accomplishment, so he really should be bragging about his new bond with Toey at every given opportunity.
Thus, he allowed his eyes to flutter shut, tilting his head slightly to the side to make their union more comfortable. He waited with baited breath, lips puckering in anticipation.
But he never felt the plushness of Toey’s lips against his. Instead, there was a soft puff of air against his cheek, then Toey was pulling away.
He opened his eyes, eyebrows drawn together in confusion, as Toey was just smiling at him innocently. Although, there was a delectable flush painting across his cheeks to match Q’s, proof that he was feeling the same elation from their shared presence.
“Why do you look so confused, P’Q? You had an eyelash on your cheek, Toey blew it off for you.”
He blinked dumbly, still processing the fact that he’d been fully prepared to allow Toey to kiss him in public like that was the most normal thing. Like they’d done that every morning for years, meeting before class to engage in public displays of affection as their daily dose of each other’s company.
He was so far gone. He almost wanted to lean in and kiss Toey himself, for his blood was already thrumming underneath his skin in expectation. And although they'd just kissed the night before, he was already missing the warm, comfortable feeling that only being attached at the mouth with the love of his life could bring.
He cleared his throat, attempting to smooth out his expression and act like he hadn’t misread the situation.
“Thank you, I must’ve rushed out this morning because someone said they wanted to meet me.”
Of course, he wouldn’t be lucky enough for Toey to ignore his mistake.
“Your face is so red, P’Q. You thought Toey was going to do this?”
Toey reached out to grab onto his shoulders, holding him in place so he could lean in, slotting his lips against Q’s. Except, he hadn’t been prepared for it this time, so his eyes were wide open. He was now privy to the sacred sight of Toey’s face from as close as physically possible.
And he was no less beautiful when seen from this close. Q could make out every individual eyelash from this distance, and he would've started counting them, if he wasn't preoccupied with moving his lips against Toey's.
It was oddly freeing, to be able to do this in public without fear. Toey loved fiercely, with his entire heart, with every inch of his being. His heart was too big for his body, his adoration flooding out of his chest and into Q’s awaiting hands until he was almost certain they would both burst from the force of it.
To say that Toey's crashing wave of love was overwhelming would be an understatement. But he didn't shy away from it, he'd be stupid to after longing for it for so long. Instead, he leaned into it, accepting every ounce of Toey’s affection, even if it meant ripping at the seams from it. Just as he leaned into the kiss, moving his lips slowly against Toey's, filing away the soaring feeling to revisit on a rainy day.
As much as Toey was ready to smother him with affection, Q would love him just the same. He wouldn’t allow Toey to be stuck in a lovesick haze all alone. They'd taken the plunge into these stormy waters together, hands joined and lips locked, and there was no turning back now.
When Toey pulled away, his cheeks were dusted with a pretty pink hue and his lips were spread into a self-satisfied smile. “Toey loves kissing you.”
He was just too much. Q's poor, yearning heart couldn't take this.
“Well. Good morning to you, too,” he responded, obviously flustered but trying to play it off. Toey’s amused snort suggested he wasn’t entirely successful.
“Toey’s morning is good because you’re here.”
He may have been open to accepting all of Toey's adoration, but that didn't mean he was necessarily ready for it. Nothing could prepare him for the intensity of Toey's love, covering him like a weighted blanket and forcing him to become warm and cozy, whether he liked it or not.
His heart was already threatening to pound out of his chest, and his palms were sweaty. He casually wiped them on his pants, acting like his throat wasn't closing up on him when he spoke.
“You make my morning good, too.”
Toey flashed him that gorgeous smile, then rewarded his honesty by holding out his hand.
“P’Q, look at this flower Toey found. It made Toey think of you.”
It was a dainty little thing, soft and delicate, one wrong gesture away from turning into a crumbled pile of petals. But its vulnerability did nothing to hinder its brightness, its yellow tint rivaling the grand rays of the sun they were sitting under. That very sunlight was lighting up Toey’s visage, casting a golden hue over his cheeks and fostering a captivating shine in those starry-eyes he so adored.
If anything, this beautiful flower was much more similar to Toey than it was to him.
“Why did you think of me?”
Toey reached up to carefully tuck the stem of the flower behind Q’s ear, allowing the petals to adorn him.
“Because you’re so pretty, just like this flower. Toey sees you everywhere he looks.”
He allowed the heat to rush to his face, not that he had much of a choice in the matter. He wanted Toey to know just how much he affected him, how taken Q was with him, enough to sit there and allow Toey to do whatever he wanted with him.
He knew if any of their friends spotted him, blush sitting high on his cheeks with a delicate flower perched atop his ear as he allowed Toey to dote on him, they’d never let him live this down. But he didn’t care. He was done suffering in silence, he’d show off his love to the world now that he was allowed to.
“Is there any reason you wanted to meet before class, Nong?”
Toey’s lips pouted adorably, and he gave a little huff. “Why, does Toey need a reason to want to see you?”
He found himself smiling as he resisted the urge to reach out and pinch Toey's cheeks. He was engaged in a battle with cuteness aggression, and he was losing. “Of course not. I just wanted to know if you were missing me already.”
And now it was Toey's turn to become flustered, looking down and drawing invisible shapes against the step with his delicate fingertips. “Toey missed you. Toey can't stand being away from you for even one second.”
That statement may come across as mildly concerning if anyone else was saying it. But coming from Toey's mouth, it only painted a lovesick smile on Q’s face. The genuine tone of his voice was filled with confidence, like he'd never made a truer assertion in his entire life. Toey pushed past his clear bashfulness to make his intentions clear in a way that proved how brave and unabashed he was in his feelings, now that he knew Q returned them.
He really was perfect. And he deserved to have that same dedication and confidence invested in him. It was with that thought in mind that Q reached out to place his hand on top of Toey's. “I don't want to be away from you, either. Let's stick together.”
Toey turned his hand around, so their palms were touching. He lifted Q’s hand towards him, then placed a kiss to the back of it, all while maintaining eye contact.
Similar to the flower embellishing him, he felt a bud of emotion blossoming in his chest, originating where his heart lay. He felt like he was receiving prince treatment, which he’d never experienced before. It made him feel special.
Toey’s eyes were always magnificent, but ever since his confession, the way he looked at Q had changed. In the past, perhaps his gazes were filled with a longing that Q was too blind to perceive. But now, he could clearly make out the satisfaction and warmth permeating his irises, like he would rather be nowhere else than he was in that moment, by Q’s side.
“Promise you’ll stay with Toey?”
Toey’s plush lips brushed against the back of his hand when he spoke, for he still hadn’t pulled away. Q probably shouldn’t have been so shy about that, considering he vividly recalled having those exact same lips plastered against his. But somehow, this was just as intense, and he felt his insides being ripped open all the same, making room for Toey to nestle safely against his heart.
As he gazed upon his love’s golden form, there was only one possible answer.
“I promise.”
By the time a break between his classes rolled around, the dainty flower Toey had gifted to him was still tucked safely behind his ear. He wouldn’t dare toss out such a precious treasure from his beloved, no matter how many odd looks it earned him.
Peem and Fai had teased him endlessly for the entire class, but it was easy to ignore them when his heart was so full of Toey’s affection. He felt as if he was carrying a piece of Toey around with him, in the form of this little flower that had made Toey think of him. Not to mention, the necklace he never took off, gifted to him during Toey's confession. Armed with these reminders of Toey's feelings for him, nothing in the world could harm him.
He was sitting at a bench outside, with Toey plastered against his side. Of course, he should’ve expected that Toey would want to meet up whenever they both had some free time. He wasn’t complaining, in fact he was relieved. If Toey hadn’t taken it upon himself to ensure they spent their breaks together, then Q would’ve had to miss him in silence until he reached a breaking point and sent him a text.
Toey’s clinginess was no longer a curse upon his existence, a way for him to feel even more discouraged by his own desperation. Because his desire to have Toey as close as possible was constantly clashing with his self-preservation instincts that were screaming at him to stay far away, for fear of getting his heart broken.
But not anymore. Now, he relished in every touch, every brush of their skin, encouraging Toey with a soft smile reserved only for him. And Toey took full advantage of this, squeezing in close and resting his head on Q’s shoulder as they discussed Toey’s latest assignment.
They were rudely interrupted by Chain, who suddenly appeared and sat across from them. “My good friends, Q and Toey!” His words were as stiff as his posture, lending to his awkwardness.
Q leveled him with an unimpressed look. The last time he’d seen Chain had been at Peem’s house, and he wasn’t exactly ecstatic to be in his presence at the time. But now, things had been cleared up, so he no longer had a reason to be tense around Chain. That didn’t mean he couldn’t mess with him a bit, though. He deserved it.
“What are you doing at the art faculty? Come to beg for forgiveness?"
Toey patted his arm, a light admonition. “P’Q, you promised you wouldn’t be upset at him.”
Chain smiled sheepishly, looking between the two of them. “It’s okay, Toey. He’s right, I’m sorry about that whole plan. You know how Pun is when he gets an idea.”
Q narrowed his eyes, now gazing at him with suspicion. “You’re the one who was all over Toey. Aren't you supposed to be saying that you wanted to help me? Why mention Pun, huh?"
Toey coughed conspicuously, garnering their attention. “It's because Hia Chain can't deny Hia Pun anything, right?” His innocent smile was a stark juxtaposition to the suggestiveness of the phrase.
Chain’s eyes were wide, as if he’d just seen a ghost, and an unexpected flush was spreading across his face that more or less confirmed what Toey was hinting at.
“Wait, you like Pun? Why didn’t I know about this?”
Chain waved his hand in a dismissive gesture, but it was too late. His face had already betrayed his true feelings, and Q was flabbergasted. He’d been friends with Chain and Pun for so many years, yet he had no idea that Chain was harboring a crush the entire time.
“I don’t, and when did this become about me? Anyway, I’m here to apologize. Do you forgive me or not?”
“Wow, that was a terrible apology. I should reject it for lack of effort.”
Chain heaved a sigh, resigning himself to a more in-depth explanation. “As I was saying before, Pun was the only one who had an idea for how to get you two together. We should have considered your feelings and encouraged Toey to confess instead."
Toey gave a little huff, pointedly squishing his cheek against Q’s shoulder. “For your information, Toey did confess.” He sounded so proud of himself that Q couldn’t stop a fond smile from overtaking his mouth.
Chain was nodding slowly, looking slightly disturbed by the domestic scene, and probably creeped out by Q’s warm smile. “I can see that. Congratulations, by the way. I was starting to think it would never happen.”
Toey gasped in indignation. “Hia Chain is one to talk. Toey confessed before you did!”
Chain rubbed at the back of his neck, looking around as if searching for a potential exit to this discussion. "So, you're not mad?"
Q decided to throw him a bone, mostly because he felt this conversation had run its course and he wanted to return to his alone time with Toey. Well, as alone as they could be in a busy courtyard.
"We've been friends for too long for me to be mad. Just don't ever pull something like this again, or I won't be so forgiving."
“I won’t, don’t worry. It was a lot of work, you know? Plus, I’m sick of facing your angry glares.”
Q grinned at that last part, and then decided to show off a bit, for posterity's sake. "You'd better not. Toey is mine, you got that?"
There was a tiny squeak to his right, and a familiar set of arms wrapped around him. “What did you just say? P’Q, can you repeat that?”
His boldness had melted out of him as soon as Toey swallowed him up in his embrace. The same way he swallowed up Q’s entire heart and soul, tearing off bits and pieces until Q couldn’t possibly live without him.
He was acutely aware of the weight of Chain’s gaze trained on them as he swallowed around nothing, taking in the cute sight of Toey’s widened eyes and pretty, pouty lips that he was so weak to.
“I said, you're mine.”
Toey squealed, hiding his reddened face against Q’s shoulder. “Oh, Toey can't take this. Toey will die if P'Q says that again.”
Toey was clearly goading him into repeating himself, which he had no problem doing, as he wrapped his arms around Toey. The entire world fell away around them when he had Toey safely tucked away in his embrace, love pouring out of them in droves, into each other's eagerly-awaiting hands. “Toey, you’re mine.”
“Gross, I’m out of here.”
He was tugged out of his trance by Chain’s insertion. He'd honestly forgotten about his presence for a moment.
Toey stuck his tongue out in Chain’s general direction. “You’re just jealous that Toey has someone to hug and kiss and you don't.”
“Ouch. Is this what I get for helping you?”
Chain was dramatically clutching at his chest when Q turned to him with a wicked grin. "Should I start flirting with you to make Pun jealous?”
Toey piped up before Chain could reply. “Absolutely not! You can only flirt with Toey!”
Toey grabbed onto his cheeks, turning his face back towards him and leaning in to give him a kiss on the mouth, right there in front of Chain. “You’re mine, too. Toey won't let you flirt with anyone else.”
Toey was giving him a serious case of those big puppy-dog eyes, and he found himself melting. He rubbed a placating hand up and down Toey's back, eager to get his hands on him any way he could. “Toey, I was just joking. I only want to flirt with you.”
He hardly noticed when Chain got up and left, fed up with their lovesick antics. He was too entranced by Toey’s bright presence and the way his irises glimmered in hope and expectation every time he looked at him.
He never wanted this feeling to end.
It had been a few weeks since Toey’s confession, and Q could feel the shift between them like it was a tangible thing. Like he could reach out and touch the romantic turn their relationship had taken, clutching it to his chest and never letting it go.
All of their yearning finally paid off. No more late nights, staring into the darkness and wondering if things could be different, if only they had the courage to make a move. No more searching for a reason to spend time together, not wanting to admit that they longed for each other's presence.
And best of all, no more struggling to imagine a future without each other in it. Because such a future never existed in the first place, they were always meant to be together.
Their friends could feel the shift too, because they weren't even bothering to hide it. It would be stupid and cruel of him to demand that Toey pretend nothing happened between them. Besides, Peem and Phum had already found out, and Chain had even witnessed them kissing. There was no way to deny it, even if they wanted to.
All it took was one look at Toey squished up against Q’s side for Pun to start bragging about how his genius plan had worked. Which was a bit confusing, since Toey had always been clingy towards him, so he didn't know how Pun could tell that it was different now.
It must've been something in the way Q was looking at Toey that clued him in. He would be the first to admit that he'd been giving Toey lovey-dovey glances every chance he could, now that he didn't have to hold himself back.
He was doing that now, in fact. They were at the park, one of their frequent hangout spots. Peem had yet to finish his assignment, so he was painting on a bench nearby. Phum was sitting next to him, because of course he was.
By some twist of fate, Toey had figured out the romantic development between Peem and Phum all on his own, before Q even knew about it. As such, those two no longer bothered to hide their closeness when the four of them were together.
That meant he had to endure witnessing them throwing their arms around each other, holding hands and even kissing each other on the cheek. He didn’t know how he managed to keep his lunch down. There was something inexplicably gross about it, like watching a sibling being affectionate with their partner. Peem was basically a brother to him, after all.
He got his devious revenge by doing the same with Toey in front of them. He’d hang all over Toey, pressing kisses to his cheek and showering him with compliments. Peem’s disgusted expression was worth it every time, as was Toey’s bright smile.
But Toey was off skateboarding with his friends at the moment, so he was left alone with the lovebirds. He had to endure the way Phum had his arm around Peem’s waist, looking over his shoulder at the canvas Peem was working on. Q had already submitted his work early, so he didn’t even have an assignment to distract himself with.
He was thinking about what exactly he would do to exact his revenge for their disgusting displays of affection. Maybe he would kiss Toey on his pretty mouth to really show Phum and Peem who was boss.
He was sitting on the grass beside the bench as he mulled over his evil plan, because he didn’t want front row seats to the PhumPeem lovefest. It was much easier to ignore their lovesick antics when he could be watching Toey from across the park, instead.
Toey attempted a skateboard trick to impress his friends, but he stumbled halfway through. Luckily, he caught himself before he fell on his face, because Q was fully ready to run across the field to make sure he was alright at the first sign of him getting hurt.
“Hey, Toey! Be careful!,” he shouted as he stood, squinting to get a better look. Toey seemed to be alright, which was a relief. Even from a distance, he could see how Toey’s cheeks colored prettily as he looked down, rubbing sheepishly at the back of his neck. Toey’s friends nudged him, probably teasing him, but they were too far away to make out the words.
“Toey will, P’Q!,” he shouted back before hopping back on his skateboard, not trying out any fancy tricks this time.
Q let out a sigh of relief, smiling slightly even as he shook his head fondly. “What am I going to do with him? He said he wanted to teach me how to skateboard, but he almost fell over when he’s supposed to be the expert.”
He was speaking to himself, but a pointed cough from behind him reminded him that he wasn’t alone. He cleared his throat and schooled his expression before turning back to the two lovebirds on the bench.
“Can I help you?”
“Me? No, but maybe you can help yourself. It’s gross, seeing you all whipped.” Peem was grinning, pointing his paintbrush at Q in accusation.
“I don’t want to hear it. You two have been getting on my nerves all day.”
“What did I do?,” Phum spoke up for the first time in a while. He was starting to think Phum had forgotten how to speak, since he was always so busy staring at Peem or being in Peem’s business in some other way.
“Nothing. Maybe you should cling harder to Peem, I could almost keep my lunch down this time.”
Peem set down his paintbrush, going back to neglecting his artwork in favor of wrapping a protective arm around Phum. As if Phum needed protecting from anything. He was basically Peem’s guard dog. Nobody in their right mind would mess with either of them when Phum was so… large.
Except for Q, of course. He held special best friend privileges that meant he could mess with Peem whenever he wanted, and Phum by extension.
“Don’t listen to him, he’s just jealous.”
Peem’s words baffled him, because he certainly wasn’t envious of either of them. If he wanted to cling onto Peem in the middle of a crowded area, he could’ve easily done that since they were kids. And he wasn’t jealous of Peem either; Phum was probably the furthest thing from his type.
Not that he really had a type. But if he did, it would be someone like Toey.
Scratch that, it would be Toey himself. Toey was his type and nobody else, so he didn’t appreciate the assertion that he could possibly be jealous of anyone when he was perfectly happy where he was.
He scoffed, feeling the need to defend Toey’s honor. “Jealous of what? I have my own special person, and he’s way cuter than either of you.”
“Did someone say cute?” As if he could sense that he was being talked about, Toey was skateboarding his way over, the wheels of his board screeching across the sidewalk. “What are you guys doing?”
That seemed to be Toey’s favorite question in the world, because he always made sure to ask it to anyone he came across. He was so caring and attentive, ready to listen to anything anyone wanted to talk about. He was easy to get along with, his people skills were certainly not lacking, even a grouch like Q couldn’t possibly resist his charms.
He turned towards Toey, opening his arms wide. It didn’t take more than a few seconds of Toey’s adorable thinking expression for him to understand what Q wanted. He continued approaching, and once his board was close enough, he hopped off of it, right into Q’s awaiting arms.
Toey giggled as he was squeezed tightly, held securely against Q’s chest. “That’s Toey’s new favorite trick. P’Q has to come with Toey more often so we can practice it.”
He was nodding before Toey’s sentence was even finished, and he pressed a kiss to Toey’s forehead, unable to stop himself from being affectionate when he had the love of his life in his arms. “Sure, anything for you.”
He placed Toey down, which meant they were now standing there, with his arms still wrapped around Toey. He simply didn’t want to let go, not yet. He hadn’t gotten his fill of having Toey’s body heat seeping into him, warming his heart from the inside out and making him the happiest man in the world.
Toey was looking at him like he hung the stars and the moon, all while batting those pretty eyelashes. Those very same stars, he saw reflected in Toey’s irises, sparkling brighter than the sun. He was so beautiful, with the golden rays of the sun cascading down his body like falling stars, coating him in glitter and dreams. For he was the man of Q’s dreams, and he must’ve walked right off the cover of a magazine, to look as good as he did in that moment.
Q raised his hand to brush aside a wayward strand of Toey’s hair that had come to rest across his forehead during his jump. Toey’s hands steadied themselves on Q’s shoulders, and he knew exactly what that meant. He was already closing his eyes in anticipation, leaning forward to meet Toey halfway, their lips pressing together with all the tenderness in the world.
He was already so used to Toey’s addiction to kissing, and always so eager to indulge him, that he didn’t even stop to question where they were, or who else was present. None of that mattered. All he cared about was satiating Toey’s desire to express his affection through kissing, and his own need to have Toey as close as physically possible.
The kiss was slow and sweet, conveying how safe and comfortable they felt around each other, but it didn’t last more than a few seconds. Because of course, they just had to be interrupted, by Phum of all people.
“Toey, your skateboard.”
Toey pulled away from him, looking off to the side. His skateboard had apparently kept up some of its momentum when he jumped off of it, and it had been slowly inching forward, until it reached a slight decline of the sidewalk and started rolling down with a vengeance.
“Oh no!,” he chirped, before running off after his wayward board, leaving Q behind to deal with the aftermath of their little display.
Phum didn’t really seem to care, but Peem was obnoxiously fake-vomiting until Q raised his leg, threatening to kick him.
Despite all of Peem's annoying teasing, Q was glad that he didn't have to hide who he really was in front of his friends. If Peem pretending to throw up was the worst punishment he'd receive for being loving towards Toey, he could take that.
And as Toey ran back to Q’s side with his board tucked safely under his arm, he was sure of one thing.
Nobody could take Toey or his friends away from him.
He'd started a routine of driving Toey home from university every day he could. Toey had disagreed at first, not wanting to trouble him, so he had to explain that making sure Toey got home safely would never be a burden to him. In fact, it took a weight off his shoulders, knowing that his beloved special person was taken care of. His sweet-talking was enough to get Toey to relent, with a pretty flush spreading across his cheeks.
On the days when he didn't bring Toey home due to some commitment or other, Toey would call when he arrived at his apartment to ease Q’s concern.
It all felt so comfortable, so right. Toey slotted perfectly into his daily routine, like there'd always been a gaping hole in his life, waiting for Toey to fill it.
He realized the unease that had become a constant stinging under his skin for the longest time came from not being able to take care of Toey the way he wanted. He'd always longed to do these things for the man he loved, and now that nothing was holding him back, he spoiled Toey rotten.
He slept much easier after receiving Toey's goodnight text. He woke up every day with a soft smile, prepared to send Toey a good morning message.
If he replied quickly, then Q would call him just to hear his adorably groggy, half-asleep voice. That alone was enough to give him the motivation to get out of bed and face the day. Toey had admitted that he loved hearing Q's deeper, raspy morning voice, so it was a mutually beneficial arrangement.
Another routine he'd developed was picking Toey up after classes ended. Suddenly, it wasn't only him and Peem who sat for hours in the studio at the end of the day. While the two of them would be painting their assignments, Toey would mostly be making sketches for his class with pencils that Q made sure were always sharpened.
Toey would frequently peek over his shoulder to compliment his work, which always made him smile, even as Peem was side-eyeing them with obvious disdain.
"It looks amazing, P'Q!"
"You just saw it five minutes ago."
"It gets prettier every second because you're so talented."
He allowed himself a slight laugh, baffled at how Toey somehow managed to make every little thing into a way to compliment him. And although he appreciated the attention, he gestured to Toey's own assignment, which he kept abandoning to watch Q paint. "You need to focus, or you'll end up rushing like Peem."
"I don't even have time to yell at you right now," was Peem's hasty reply, as he painted harsh blue strokes onto the canvas that may as well have been daggers, for how piercing his tone was.
"What did that canvas do to you? Why are you trying to kill it?”
Peem wasn't amused by his teasing, but Toey was, and that was all that mattered in his book. Besides, he was constantly telling Peem to focus on his work instead of goofing off, so it was his own fault that he was having to rush now. Q wouldn't feel bad about poking fun at him, because he landed himself in this situation.
Toey leaned closer and lowered his voice, stage-whispering. “Maybe he's imagining the painting as Hia Phum’s face.”
After how much Peem made fun of him on a daily basis, he was always proud when he and Toey could band together to get their revenge.
The main reason Peem had been procrastinating so much was because he elected to spend so much time with Phum instead of working. Every time Peem was hard at work in the studio, Phum would whine and complain until he relented, leaving early to return to his side. Really, it was more Peem's fault for being unable to resist him.
"P'Q, can you look at mine?" Toey's tone had returned to its usual sweetness, all hints of teasing melting out of him when he addressed Q.
Hearing how content and comfortable Toey sounded satisfied some primal urge deep within him that wanted nothing more than to keep Toey safe. Being with his two favorite people at the same time gave him a sense of security and belonging that he'd never felt so deeply before.
He stood up to look over Toey's shoulder, examining his art, but not before dropping a small kiss to the top of his head. Just to watch as those pretty dimples came out to play, pushing into pinkened cheeks.
“Your shading and perspective have improved a lot. Great job, Nong." He ran his fingers through Toey's hair at the end of his compliment, expecting him to pull away and whine about his hair getting messed up.
Instead, Toey leaned into the touch, looking up at him with those bright eyes. “You really think so? Is Toey getting better?”
He would agree to absolutely anything when Toey was looking up at him like that, like he was Toey's entire world. Like Q had picked every star out of the sky and personally handed them over, just so Toey could shove them into his eyes, and Toey was busy wondering how he'd ever make it up to him.
“You are, Toey. You're improving a lot, I'm proud of you.”
The redness dusting Toey's cheeks only darkened, and his smile turned shy as he grabbed onto Q’s hand, pulling it away from his head.
“You're messing up Toey's hair.”
He knew that was just an excuse, a way for Toey to hide his shyness, not that it was working very well. Toey couldn't hide anything from him, because he'd spent enough time staring at his face to gauge his reactions accurately. And right then, Toey was feeling happy, bashful, and above all: loved.
He could clearly tell from the amorous tilt to Toey's lips, the glimmer in those expressive eyes, the way his breathing was deep and slow, like he'd reached the peak of comfort and safety.
Toey felt loved, and that was all that mattered.
Hours later, Q decided it was time to go home. He'd gotten a lot of his next assignment done (while Peem was still working on the one that was due tomorrow), and he suspected Toey had finished his sketch some time ago. Because he was only adding small lines here and there, attempting to look busy to extend their time together.
He was playing dumb, because it was really cute how Toey would outright stare at him, alternating between admiring his visage and watching him paint. Until Q would glance up, and Toey would duck his head, scribbling something or other onto the page that was already filled out.
Toey wasn't convincing at all. But he played along, until his butt had gone numb from sitting for too long and he longed for the comfort of his bed.
They left the building hand in hand, with Toey skipping along as he walked normally, simply soaking up the joy that radiated off Toey in droves.
But then Toey abruptly stopped walking, fixating those pretty eyes on him. “P’Q, when are we going on another date?"
Toey batted his eyelashes, looking every bit expectant and hopeful as he tugged gently on Q’s hand. “It's been a few weeks since the last one, Phi. Toey wants to go on another date with you, please.”
Toey didn't have to ask him twice. And he certainly didn't have to beg, bringing out that cute little pout and those deadly puppy-dog eyes, all while being bathed in the light of the moon. It was too much, Toey was simply too irresistible and it should've been illegal to use his beauty against someone like this.
As comfortable as their current arrangement was, there was still some budding suspense between them. Their bond grew stronger every day, along with their desire to be together.
They were taking things slow, but he wondered if Toey was waiting with bated breath for him to pop the boyfriend question. He didn't know how to find the perfect time. Besides, they'd only been on one date so far, and that seemed like something that should be asked a few dates down the line.
So, he'd better keep the dates coming.
"Of course, we can have one this weekend."
Toey cheered, swinging Q’s hand up and down in celebration. “Toey wants to go to the amusement park and ride the big rides! They go upside down and flip around like this and that." He moved Q’s hand as he spoke, guiding it into a circle and flipping it around a few times. “You won't be too scared to ride them with Toey?”
He raised an offended eyebrow, puffing his chest out to show off. “I'm not scared of anything.”
Toey laughed at his display, and dropped his hand, only to land a kiss on his cheek. “Toey is so excited! Toey wants to spend every day with you and-”
Toey was just about to cling onto him as usual, but he spared a glance down at Q’s shirt first.
"P'Q, you got paint all over your clothes."
He followed Toey's gaze and, sure enough, there were splashes of different colored paint down both pant legs and covering the center of his shirt. He was never one to take precautions to not smear paint all over himself when he was busy working. Honestly, he'd gotten a lot messier than this before.
"It's normal. I'll just buy more clothes."
Toey hummed in thought, placing his hands on Q’s chest, on either side of the paint swatches. He tried not to become flustered, but he could feel the heat of Toey's palms through the thin material of the shirt and having Toey's hands on him was always enough to get his blood pumping, namely to his face.
"Actually, Toey thinks your clothes look really pretty like this! They're like little artworks of their own, representing how hard you work."
Q was still busy trying to control his breathing and not burst into flames from Toey's touch, so he could do nothing more than offer a mild agreement. “You're right. These can be my painting clothes, I won't throw them out.”
Toey seemed satisfied enough by that response, but he didn't take his hands away. Instead, he trailed them upwards, until they came to rest against his neck. His delicate fingers caressed the necklace Q wore daily, the very same one Toey had gifted him.
“It looks so pretty on you, Phi.”
Toey didn't even give him a chance to respond to that, because his hands were moving again, until they landed on Q’s shoulders.
He was so conditioned into getting a kiss when Toey touched his shoulders that he was already leaning in a bit, an unconscious action. But Toey didn't notice, he was too busy rubbing at his shoulders with a tiny frown.
Even that was remarkably pretty on his face.
“You worked so much tonight, Nong Toey is worried. Will you take it easy tomorrow?”
He melted into Toey's touches, tension draining out of him that he hadn't even been aware was there in the first place. He felt lighter, burdenless, like he could fly off right then, if it wasn't for Toey's hands grounding him to the Earth.
“Don't worry, I won't work so hard tomorrow.”
He was rewarded for his easy agreement with a quick peck on the lips, which left him too stunned to do anything as Toey grabbed his hand, leading him off in the direction they'd been walking before his brain fell out of his head.
It was Saturday and Q was trying his best not to be a nervous wreck.
After all, their first date had been within the confines of Q’s apartment, so he was able to ensure everything went smoothly. And the time they spent together at university felt comfortable, because they'd already been hanging out there together for a while now.
But this was an entirely new experience. This was a proper date set outside, surrounded by strangers, and so many things could go wrong.
He wanted this date to be perfect, because Toey deserved that much.
“P’Q, you look so pretty.”
Those were the first words out of Toey's mouth when they saw each other, with him standing on Toey's doorstep. He'd insisted on picking Toey up for the date, it was the gentlemanly thing to do.
Toey loved to compliment him in every way, a fact that always had his head spinning, but calling him pretty seemed to be a personal favorite of his, for he took every opportunity to do so.
Perhaps he knew how happy it made Q to hear it.
All at once, he realized his fears were silly. Toey was gazing at him with so much care that he practically had heart-eyes, and his smile only grew when he spotted the necklace around Q’s neck. As if he would ever leave the house without his gift from his special person.
The date would go perfectly, because Toey was there. Everything with Toey was inherently perfect, and they'd have a good time no matter what.
He'd also worn a sleeveless shirt with a wide neckline, allowing Toey to catch an eye full of his skin every so often. It wasn't lost on him how Toey's gaze would linger on his arms and neck when he dressed like that, which was precisely why he did so. He soaked up the attention like a sponge, internalizing it and using it to fuel the eternal good mood he was in whenever Toey was around.
He especially enjoyed the way Toey would blush and avert his eyes when he was caught staring.
"Where do you want to go first?,” he asked once they arrived. Toey was looking around at everything with an amazed expression, like he couldn't believe his eyes. He seemed excited by the hustle and bustle of their surroundings. Which was good, because Q would need to feed off his energy to make it through this day. He wasn't used to being around so many people. Alas, the things he'd do for love.
“There’s so many, Toey can’t choose!,” he huffed, pouting his lips out in that distracting way he loved to do. Toey was so cute, he couldn’t help but smile and wish he could gaze upon that expressive face every second of his life.
Q gestured towards the closest ride, trying his best not to stare at Toey’s mouth. He failed. “Let’s go on this one first, then.”
Toey gave him a knowing look, having taken note of how Q’s gaze had dropped to his lips. “P’Q, is kissing Toey all you think about?”
“You’re one to talk. Aren’t you always begging for kisses?”
Toey gave him a devious smile, leaning closer, until Q’s eyes fluttered shut on instinct. Instead of being greeted with a kiss, he was met with Toey’s amused laughter. “Toey never has to beg for anything. It’s you who is always looking at Toey like you need a kiss.”
His eyes flew open and Toey’s smile was simply too beautiful for him to sulk about his little prank. Toey didn’t give him time to anyway, for he was already grabbing Q’s hand and running off in the direction of the ride.
As luck would have it, the ride wasn’t a very extreme one. It was simply a large pirate ship that swung back and forth, allowing patrons to catch some air when their end of the ship was in the sky. Something like that wasn’t a challenge for someone like him, who had an iron stomach and nerves of steel.
They sat in the very back to receive maximum air time, as per Toey’s request. He half-expected Toey to become frightened when the ride started up, clinging onto him and begging for his life. He recalled the way Toey had yelled when they were at the arcade and went through the roller coaster simulation and thought he’d be experiencing that again. He wouldn’t mind having Toey squeezing him tightly in his arms.
Instead, Toey seemed to be having the most fun out of anyone else on the ride. He threw his arms up in the air, not bothering to hold onto the handlebars, and was laughing loudly.
The wind was whipping at their clothes as the ride started to move faster, and some of Toey’s noises were carried away by the harsh breeze. But still, enough of Toey’s voice reached him to assure him that Toey was braver than he thought.
Toey grabbed onto his hand, raising his arm in the air. “Phi, go like this!”
He sounded so excited that Q didn’t dare deny him. He lifted both of his arms, copying Toey, just to hear more of that elated laughter.
He didn’t want Toey to think he was scared, so he let out a few whoops of his own. He felt silly, and they probably looked ridiculous, but he found himself not caring about what anyone else thought.
Toey brought out the childish side of him that he thought was dead and buried, allowing him to let loose and have fun. That was why he badly needed someone like Toey to encourage him to relax and not make himself sick from overworking and overthinking.
Not just someone like Toey, he needed Toey himself. Nobody else could fill that role.
The next ride they went on was bizarrely shaped like an octopus. It consisted of two-seater cars that were painted pink and spun in circles while also moving up and down. Such a ride had definitely made multiple people with weaker stomachs lose their lunch before, but he was built differently.
They were periodically raised into the air, which earned a scream of delight out of Toey every time. He was more of a thrill-seeker than Q would’ve thought, not that he minded it. He thought it was cute, but that was just because everything Toey did was cute.
The car turned them around and around, which made his vision spin, colors blurring into vague, unrecognizable shapes. He felt himself getting a bit dizzy, until Toey grabbed onto his hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze.
He turned to Toey, who was carefully watching him, like he was worried Q might pass out or throw up. He offered a pacifying nod to signify that he was alright, squeezing Toey's hand in return to ease his concern so he could continue to enjoy the ride to the fullest.
Toey’s legs were a bit shaky when they climbed off the ride, and Q jumped at the chance to support his weight. He threw Toey’s arm around his shoulder, then grabbed him by the waist to lead him away from the crowd.
"Where do you want to go next?”
There was no immediate answer. He was briefly worried that Toey might have gotten woozy from the ride after all, and was only putting on a brave face so their date wouldn’t be cut short.
But when he caught sight of Toey’s face, his cheeks were beautifully rouged, and his tongue had snuck out to wet his lips.
“Toey is sensitive there.” His voice was hushed, like he was too shy to admit it.
He’d touched Toey’s waist without even thinking about how it might affect him, he just wanted to help him walk. He was just about to retreat, not wanting Toey to be uncomfortable, when Toey placed his hand on top of his, keeping his touch in place.
“Toey never said to stop.”
And now Q’s cheeks were filling with heat, because Toey had basically just admitted that he wanted him to keep touching him, and he didn’t know what to do with that information.
“You like it?”
Toey slowly wrapped his arms around Q’s neck, looking earnestly into his eyes. “Toey likes it every time you touch him.”
His heart may as well have pounded right out of his chest at that very moment, catapulting itself into Toey’s awaiting embrace. Because Toey’s irises were glimmering, reflecting the flashing lights of the nearby attractions; pools of celestial light that he wanted to reach into, just to grab onto one of those tendrils of hope that shone deep within.
He’d cling onto that precious fragment of desire and hold it so tightly that it drew indentations on his skin, because every part of Toey was special to him.
There was so much chaos occurring around them, people walking and talking and screaming, and yet- Toey was the only thing he could focus on, the only voice he could hear.
"You’ve been staring at Toey since we got here.”
"How could I not, when you look so beautiful?"
He was frankly proud of himself, that he’d managed to force words through his dry throat. Because Toey had sucked all the moisture out of him with one look, stole his breath with a single touch, and he’d never be getting it back. He would have to rely on Toey for his breath from then on, for every beat of his heart and every pump of blood through his veins.
Toey didn't speak for a moment, instead sucking his bottom lip into his mouth to gently nibble on it. A gesture of nervousness, possibly. Maybe Toey had been just as anxious as him about wanting this date to go perfectly, and perhaps being this close also had Toey’s heart one second away from bursting into flames.
When Toey spoke again, his voice was even quieter than before, but that did nothing to stop Q from making out his words. Even if a million people were speaking all at once and Toey was merely whispering, he’d still be able to pick him out from the crowd. His voice would rise above all others, a smoke signal that only Q’s ears could hear.
That was how much his senses were attuned to Toey.
“You look really good today. When you touch me and stare like that, Toey doesn’t know what to do.”
He was overcome with the stifling electricity thrumming between them, drawing them together. He was hopeless to resist it, and used his grip on Toey’s waist to pull him closer, until he was resting flush against Q’s chest. His face was burning up, to the point that he was mildly concerned that he might actually pass out from it.
"You don't have to do anything, I'll take care of you."
He punctuated his sentence by leaning in, sealing Toey’s lips with a kiss.
Toey froze for a moment, probably shocked because he was used to being the one initiating. It didn’t take him longer than a few seconds to melt into the kiss, slotting his lips perfectly against Q’s. They stood there, lip-locked and safe in each other’s embrace, ignoring everything else around them.
Not for the first time, Q wondered how he’d managed to live without this for so long. The soft, warm sensation of Toey’s lips caressing his sent him into a state of euphoria that nothing else could achieve. Toey’s weight leaning against his chest made him feel like he could do anything, for Toey was his pillar of hope and light in this dark and dreary world, guiding him through the fog of the night to ensure he’d make it home. And home came in the form of Toey’s loving embrace, sweet assurances, addictive kisses.
Toey was his biggest weakness. The soft spot that had formed on his heart with Toey's name on it had slowly overtaken the entire organ, leaving him unable to deny Toey of anything. He was susceptible to Toey’s every whim, ready to fulfill his every wish. But standing in the face of his overwhelming need to please Toey didn’t make him feel weak. No, he felt strong.
Because Toey’s constant presence filled him with strength. The strength to open his heart and love again, trusting himself to not screw it all up. To face the world with his true colors showing, as long as Toey was by his side, showing affection in public without fear of ridicule and judgement. The strength to realize when he was overworking himself and tone it down, for the sake of himself as well as the people who cared about him.
Toey made him want to be a better man, the best man he could be.
When they pulled away, Toey’s pretty lips had already started to swell, and his face was so red that he looked like the world’s cutest apple. He hid his warm face against Q’s neck with a shy whine, hugging him tighter. “Told you, you’re obsessed with kissing Toey.”
Q gave an amused laugh, rubbing Toey’s back and allowing them both a moment to gather their wits. “You’re right, I am.”
Toey was getting hungry, so once they calmed down enough for their cheeks to cool off, they went around to various stalls to grab food.
"Are you having fun?," he asked in between bites, adjusting the cartoonish sunglasses on his face. He’d only bought them because Toey thought they looked funny on him, and Toey was wearing a headband with kitty ears on them, looking way too cute to be denied anything.
Toey looked up from his bowl with a bright smile and even brighter eyes, looking at him through his long eyelashes. “Toey always has fun with you, even when we’re not doing anything.”
Everything Toey did had his heart aching in the best way. He spent most of their lunch break gazing fondly at Toey, letting out lovesick sighs every now and then. He could hardly believe this was now his reality, that Toey had become a permanent fixture to his life, filling the cracks that Q had thought to forever be a stain on his soul.
Since they just ate, he thought it would be best to pick up with something that wasn't quite so stomach-churning. He pulled a pouting Toey towards the carousel.
“Toey is fine, Toey won’t throw up! We can go on a big ride!”
“Humor me, won’t you?” He pinched one of Toey’s cheeks, acting on the cuteness aggression that had been humming beneath his skin for the longest time. “Do you want me to vomit everywhere?”
That was the right move, because Toey immediately fell into his doting, fretting partner role. “Phi, is your stomach upset? Okay, let’s go on the carousel. Toey will look out for you.”
They ended up riding on adjacent horses that Toey picked out. Despite the slow pace of the ride, his little thrill-seeker seemed happy enough to slowly bob up and down, always content to be by his side.
Toey held out his hand, gazing at Q with fondness clear in his eyes and a wide smile, dimples decorating his cheeks. He found himself going along with whatever Toey wanted, as he always did, obediently grabbing onto his hand. He allowed Toey to swing their joined hands between them as they were spun around, with Toey giggling the entire way.
Was Toey getting cuter every day, or was Q getting weaker to his inherent cuteness?
Either way, he never wanted to face one day without Toey’s smile cheering him up.
The next ride Toey dragged him to was the largest one in the park. It had a long, windy track that included several loops. The seats were hanging down, dangling passengers in the air. It was definitely the most intimidating attraction, and he could only hope his stomach wouldn’t disagree with it.
“Are you scared?” Toey was studying him, and set a comforting hand on his upper arm. “We don’t have to go on it, P’Q.”
Toey was so sweet that he just had to plant a kiss to one of those dimpled cheeks. “I’m not scared at all.”
"Wow, very manly." The agenda of the hand on his arm shifted from a comforting touch to squeezing his muscles.
"What are you doing?,” he struggled to keep his voice even when Toey’s hand was so warm, shamelessly feeling him up. His touch was nothing less than cosmic.
Toey wore a mischievous smile when he answered, “Just seeing how tough and strong you are.”
He shook his head fondly, giving Toey a gentle nudge towards the ride. “Let’s go, before they don’t let us on.”
They sat at the very front, as per Toey's request. It was by far the most thrilling ride of the night, dangling their limbs in midair and tossing them this way and that. He felt like a dice being shaken before it was tossed onto the game board, or perhaps ice getting flung around inside a bartender’s shaker. He was pretty sure his brain was knocking against his skull with every twist and turn.
Toey was screaming his ear off beside him, but he was kicking his feet like it was the most fun he'd ever had, so there was no cause for concern.
"P'Q, that was awesome!" Toey shouted as soon as the ride was over, with both of them stumbling around like a couple who’d had too many drinks. His legs felt like jelly, but he managed to regain control of them before too long, just in time to catch Toey before he toppled over. His efforts earned him a kiss to the cheek.
The night was almost over, and they had time for only one more attraction. To his surprise, Toey didn’t choose another thrilling ride that would shake up their insides, instead opting to walk through the haunted house.
"Are you sure? You've already been screaming a lot today, your voice might be gone tomorrow."
Toey huffed, and he was already pulling Q along by his hand. “Toey isn’t scared of a haunted house! Toey won’t scream at all.”
It was hard to keep his laughter in when Toey immediately started screaming at the first prop that jumped out at them. It was a bit ironic, how Toey had spent this entire time laughing in the face of terrifying, life-threatening rides, and it was these cheap jump scares that actually frightened him.
Toey was clinging tightly onto him, shaking like a scared animal, and he was compelled to calm him down.
“You can hide behind me.” He raised a hand to stroke gently over Toey’s hair, pulling him even closer. “I’ll protect you.”
He guided Toey through the rest of the attraction. Toey stayed tucked safely behind him the entire time, and apparently, being attached to Q was all he needed to regain his courage. Because he no longer screamed at the jump scares (although, he did jump a few times), and he even managed to keep his eyes open for most of it.
"We're free, stubborn boy."
Toey fixed him an unimpressed look, but didn’t release him. “Toey isn’t stubborn, and Toey only screamed once.”
He pointedly glanced down at Toey’s arms, which were firmly wrapped around him. “Are you still scared?”
“No… Toey just wants to keep hugging you.”
True to his word, Toey maintained a point of contact with him all the way home. He clung onto Q until they reached his car, at which point he switched tactics, holding onto Q's thigh instead.
Toey's touch was a little distracting while he was trying to drive, but he pulled through. It didn't help that Toey kept stealing loving glances at him too, and he was having to act like he didn't notice, lest he pull over just to press kisses all over Toey's adorable face.
When they reached Toey's apartment, he had to resist the urge to ask if he could go inside. This was only their second date, and he really should be polite and not try to crash in Toey's bed just because he wanted to cuddle him all night long.
“Thank you for taking Toey on another date, Phi.”
Toey was looking at him with hundreds of galaxies lighting up his irises. He was the entire universe all on his own, with multiple solar systems living in his eyes, all calling Q to come closer.
He wondered if he stared long enough, if he would be able to count the number of sparkles he saw reflected in those deep pools of cosmic light. He wanted to map out those stars, find shapes in them, just as they'd picked out images together in the sky on their first date.
He lost his uphill battle with the hypnotic magnetism that was tugging them together, and he reached forward, placing a hand upon Toey's delicate neck. He couldn't help himself when Toey looked so pretty under the moonlight.
They stood there for a few moments, staring at each other, soaking up the suffocating attraction swirling around them, almost like it was a tangible thing. Then Toey closed his eyes, an invitation if he'd ever seen one.
Slowly, he closed the distance, pressing his promise against Toey's lips. The kiss was languid and unhurried, dribbling tenderness with every movement.
His lips spelled out his vow to hold Toey's heart in his hands like the delicate treasure it was, to cradle it against his chest and ensure it never slipped through his fingers. For Toey was his everything, and he could never let him go.
Q had been fast asleep, drooling into his pillow, as usual. He was always a deep sleeper, and seldom woke to the sound of his phone ringing. And yet, something deep within him roused him from his unconscious state at the first chime of his ringtone.
He rubbed at his tired eyes, grabbing his phone and turning the screen on. It was 3:24 am. He felt a flash of irritation, because he’d only gotten home a few hours ago, as he stayed late in the studio that day.
Nearly a week had passed since his second date with Toey, and as promised, he’d let up on his workload whenever he could. But he’d decided to spend some hours working on his assignment that night, so he could finish it early and not have to worry about it anymore. Toey allowed it, as long as he could accompany him.
All of his agitation flew away as soon as he saw the name of the caller, replaced with concern and a small flash of fear. He picked up the phone before it could ring again.
"Toey, what's wrong? Are you okay?" His voice was more gravely than usual, making it obvious that he’d been tucked away in dreamland moments before.
“Toey is okay! Sorry, Toey didn’t mean to wake you.”
He let out a sigh of relief, the brief tension that had built up in his body melting right out of him at the warm tones of his beloved’s voice, safe and sound.
“It’s okay, I’m always happy to hear your voice.”
Toey offered a tiny giggle, but it tapered off into a forlorn sigh. “You said to call you if Toey can’t sleep again.”
That was true. When Toey had confided in him a few days ago that he was having trouble sleeping lately, he was quick to suggest a phone call to hopefully calm Toey’s nerves.
“What’s bothering you in that pretty head of yours?”
"Toey’s stomach hurts too much, so Toey can’t sleep.”
The pouty tone those words were spoken with drew a smile out of him. He was so far gone that he was finding everything Toey did cute, even something as simple as getting a stomachache.
"You ate too many sweets, didn't you?"
"Nooo, Toey didn't have that many! Don’t tease Toey when he’s in pain!”
He huffed out a small laugh as he turned onto his side, setting his phone down by his pillow. “Alright, alright. Lay on your back for me, baby.”
The nickname slipped out of his mouth so naturally that he wouldn’t have even noticed, if it wasn’t for the sharp inhale Toey took on the other end of the line.
“P’Q, what did you just say?”
Toey's voice was squeaky and high-pitched, like he couldn't believe his ears.
His cheeks were burning up at his little slip-up, but really, he’d been holding himself back from using sugary-sweet pet names for some time now. Toey was simply so adorable that words he never would've imagined himself saying lingered in the forefront of his mind, sitting on the tip of his tongue.
“I said, lay on your back.”
“No, not that part.”
He cringed at Toey’s insistence for him to repeat it, resisting the urge to bury his face in his pillow and forget all about this embarrassing moment.
“... Baby.”
Toey squealed this time, and Q could tell he was rolling around on his bed from the sound of sheets rustling.
“Toey can’t believe this, Toey has always wanted to hear you say that. Oh… is Toey dreaming?”
He couldn’t bring himself to regret his blunder when Toey was so excited about it. Instead, he leaned into it, softening his voice into a sweet tone reserved only for Toey. “Baby, lay down for me.”
That got Toey to quiet down, long enough to do what was asked of him. But Q could hazard a guess that Toey was bright red, trying to control his breathing so he didn’t burst out into further squeals and giggles.
If something as simple as a cute nickname would have Toey like this, then he’d make sure to use them more often.
"Now, press your hand against your stomach." He reached out to the empty side of his bed, placing his hand where he imagined Toey's stomach would be if he were lying next to him. "Imagine it's my hand instead and rub little circles on your stomach."
"Toey is doing it…,” he trailed off, voice tinted with shyness, and Q had to hold himself back from running over to Toey’s apartment that instant to wrap him up in a hug. It had to be physically impossible, and also illegal, for one person to be this cute.
With them whispering through the phone like this, the scene felt intimate, a secret moment between lovers. He gently rubbed circles against his mattress, mimicking how he would comfort Toey, despite how ridiculous he no doubt looked. "Good boy. I’m right here next to you, okay? I’ll be here all night, so just relax.”
Toey squeaked again, but didn’t say much else, other than the occasional hum. Slowly, Toey’s breathing evened out, until Q was sure he’d fallen asleep.
He didn’t want to hang up after his job was finished. Toey’s long, deep breaths were calming him, a reminder that the person he loved so much was securely locked away in dreamland, where no worries or stressors could touch him. Maybe Toey would even have a dream about them and wake up in a lovey-dovey mood.
Not that Toey was ever out of a lovey-dovey mood. He was always eager to show his affection in any way he could, hanging all over Q and slathering him in kisses at the slightest provocation.
It was easy to imagine that Toey was sleeping right beside him, safe in the comfort of Q’s bed.
He drifted off to sleep with a smile on his face, silently vowing to rub Toey's stomach in person next time.