Chapter Text
Flambae sat in the break room, anger plastered on his face as usual. It was clear he was thinking hard about something, which is something Prism would joke about him not being able to do, if she didn't think it was so serious. She could just tell that this wasn't his usual dramatics, but that there really was something up with him. In fact there had been for a good few weeks, and she was getting fucking sick of it. Not only of her friend being in a sour mood even more than he usually is, but also that he never hung out with her anymore. He always made an excuse for why he didn't want to go to the clubs, which is unusual for him. He was always down to go clubbing.
"Alright," Prism exclaimed, sitting down across fron Flambae, and cracking her knuckles dramatically, "we're gonna get to the bottom of this funk you are in right now bitch."
Flambae lifted his chin from where it was placed on his palm, and raised his eyebrows in slight shock.
"Oh what did you say? I was just thinking." He asked.
"What has been up with you? I swear you're like a whole different person recently! You didn't even seem excited when I asked you if we should go to the club last night!" Prism exclaimed, waving her hand around in disbelief.
Flambae scoffed. He didn't want to deal with this right now. He knew Prism would probably tell his secret to anyone who'd listen if he gave her the chance. Even if she didn't, he still didn't want to admit it out loud. He's got a crush on someone at work.
"It's not your fucking business okay? I've just been distracted! Work is killing me!" He spat back at her, hoping the work excuse would work on Prism. Though he knew that Prism could see through him quite well. The look she was giving him was evidence enough that she didn't buy it for one second.
Flambae sighed.
"Fine. I'll tell you but I swear to God if you tell a soul, or right a fucking verse about it or whatever, I'll scorch everything you love." Flambae snarled, wagging his finger across the table and borderline in her face. She grabbed his hand and slammed it down onto the table inbetween them.
"Boy I know you aren't threatening me right now! Fuck outta here of course I won't say anything! You're not that interesting anyway!" She huffed, crossing her leg.
"But hurry up and tell me." She said, instantly contradicting her previous statement, and adittude. She was desperate for something juicy to potentially hold over his head if she ever needed to.
Flambae looked down at his lap in embarrassment. It would be the first time he ever said it out loud and he didn't know if he really wanted to, but at the same time he hoped that getting it out there would help clear his mind. So he didn't think about it 24/7.
"I'm... interested in someone here at work." He finally said, but quieter than he usually speaks.
Prism looked absolutely stunned. She thought he this may have been over some guy, but not a guy from work. She couldn't even think of a single eligible bachelor here that was anywhere close to worth dating, especially to Flambae, who was more of a one night stand kind of guy.
"I used to hate the guy. Always called him names, and bullied him. But I got to know him and I can't stop thinking about him. God damnit it takes up all my time, even my dreams! Alice what do I do I can't handle this! This is why I stick to a fuck and flee lifestyle!" He yelped, now gripping his hairline tightly with both hands, and his elbows on the table. She could see smoke pilling off his shoulders.
Prism took a second to piece together the information and had a shocked look on her face once she did.
"Hated him? Bullied? Names? Wait! ROBERT ROBERTSON?" She shouted, slamming her hands on the table and leaping out of her chair. Flambae looked up, utterly pissed and offended at the same time.
"HELL NO! why would you ever think that, that's fucking disgusting Alice!" He shouted back, standing now too. He quickly glanced behind Prism to look out the window on the break room door, seeing if anyone noticed the commotion. Luckily no one seemed to.
Flambae sat back down, putting his hands on his head again.
"Its... wet fart boy." He admitted, getting more embarrassed by the second, "Fucking Bob-Bob keeps putting us on missions together. He's actually more competent out there than you'd think. With his brain at least." He added.
"And then I started having dreams Alice, hot hot dreams. Now everytime I see him they replay in my mind! I can't live like this it's fucking infuriating!' He was starting to sizzle now, and Prism didn't know if it was from rage, or the mention of his recurring wet dreams.
"Wow. I am good at reading you, but I wasn't expecting that." Prism said, "look, not to be rude but he seems. Desperate. I don't think he's a hard catch. If you want him so bad just go get him!"
"No you don't understand. I do not want to want him. I mean seriously I don't even know why this all started. I just want to get over it already!"
Prism thought for a second. she could actually see them working out pretty well, as long as Flambae didnt self sabatoge as he seems to do often. Opposites do attract and well... there's probably no two people more opposite than Flambae and Waterboy.
"I wouldn't want you to regret not saying anything though. I mean what if you totally hit it off. Or what if he's secretly 10 inches" She said, lifting her eyebrows up and down repeatedly. Flambae wasn't amused, but he did think a bit about it. Maybe it wasn't a bad idea to try. He's never lacked confidence before, so he didn't think it would be difficult. He mostly worried about how everyone else would react. It's not like anyone ever skipped out on a chance to make fun of waterboy, including himself. Maybe he'd just have to teach him how to be less of an easy target from now on.
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"Right, uh M- mech- uh Robert I mean. I need to ask you for a Fa- ask you something." Water boy mumbled. Robert was at his desk, no one else in sight. Everyone was on a mission except Waterboy and him.
"Go ahead." He replied, moving his headset from his head to around his neck.
"It's about Flambae-"
Robert sighed. He was sure he was gonna have to make another intervention for Flambae. It was almost getting to be too much to handle.
"What did he do this time? I swear that guy can't last a day without making a fucking problem."
"Oh no no, he didn't d- do anything I just uh, I- well- sort of..." Waterboy began, he was having trouble getting his words out, even more than usual.
"I want to ask him out. Ou -out like a date?" He said, almost in a way that it sounded like he was asking permission.
"What? Him really?" The brunette let out. He was sure that was the last thing he expected to hear.
"Why are you telling me this waterboy?"
"Well you are s- so sure of yourse- confident, I wondered if you could help me..." waterboy explained.
Robert thought for a minute. He liked waterboy, and wanted to help him out. But he really wasn't sure he wanted to see waterboy be humiliated like that. The whimpiest guy asking out the office bully wasn't really something that seemed like it would go over well. On the other hand he didn't want to have waterboy think keeping it all in was the right thing to do. He already had major confidence issues and telling him that Flambae was out of his league wouldn't make it any better.
he also thought that maybe Waterboy would be a good influence on Flambae if he did agree, though it was also possible Flambae would rub off on Waterboy, which unless it was his confidence rubbing off on him, that wouldn't be the best thing to happen.
Robert sighed, "I can say I don't understand your interest at all. What has he done other than make your life worse?"
Waterboy had a look on his face that Robert hadn't ever seen before. He looked... Stern. Maybe even mad.
"I d- don't see how it's your plac- any of your business."
"Sorry for that, don't f- fire me!" He immediately apologized. Robert was slightly stunned, seeing Waterboy stand his ground like that, but it also made him a little proud.
"Okay, that's fair. If you really want to ask someone out, especially someone like that... confidence is key. I know that's hard for you but you've got to try." Robert explained.
"Okay but, wh- what do I say to him? I thought about a- asking him to dinner, but I don't have w- a way to drive him there. I take the bus..." Waterboy asked, fidgeting with his fingers.
"Don't over think it, okay? If he says yes you can figure out the details later. Right now think about exactly what you want to say, so everything comes out right."
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Flambae's apartment was just about exactly what a gay man's bachelor pad would look like. Flashy. It had a red, orange, and black color scheme, complete with leather furniture and a detailed flame rug about the size of the whole living room floor. Prism sat, feet up and crossed on the asymmetrical coffee table, with a whisky in her hand.
"So, Love Island or Survivor?" Flambae asked, walking from his kitchen to sit down next to his friend.
"Survivor really? You watch that boring shit?" Prism scoffed, "who the fuck wants to watch dumb people play in the dirt." She added.
"...Love Island it is."
Flambae shuffled to find the remote, and turned the TV on. He noticed out of the corner of his eye that Prism was paying more attention to her phone than the TV. It wasn't unusual, but she was texting. Most of the time she's checking her socials, not texting.
Not too long after, they heard a knock on the door. Prism shot up to get it, which was strange as it wasn't even her place. When she opened it, it was none other than waterboy. Prism could almost feel Flambae's eye twitching from behind her, but before he could cuss her out she quickly made an excuse for why she had to leave.
"Soooooo, I just remembered I have a meet and greet today! Haha I guess you too will have to hang out without me!" She giggled, as she shot her whiskey down her throat and flew out the door, grasping her purse from the counter on the way.
"See you at work!"
Waterboy stood right at the doorway. Both the men just looked at eachother uncomfortably for longer than either wanted to.
"Uh It- it's really nice of you to invi- let me s- see your place! I mean hang out..." waterboy spoke up, "I was surprised when Prism texted me S- Saying you wanted to uh 'chill' as she p- put it! Heh..." he added awkwardly, putting air quotations on the word 'chill' with his fingers.
Flambae noticed Waterboy was in Civilian clothes. It was simple brown slacks and a blue striped vest with white undershirt, but he still wore those goofy goggles on his face.
"Oh she said that did she?" Flambae scoffed.
He couldn't believe she actually pulled something that dumb on him. What were they even supposed to do? He didn't know of any similar interests of theirs or what waterboy did in his free time, and he hadn't planned any small talk or conversation starters.
"Well, you're inside already so, just get comfortable I guess" Flambae sighed, gesturing towards the empty spot next to him on his sofa.
"What do you like to watch?"
"Oh I actually don't watc- have a TV at m- my apartment. I'm always working anyways!" Waterboy said, while practically tiptoeing towards the couch.
"No, are you serious? That's fucking crazy man. Does that mean you've never seen Love island?" Flambae asked, shocked but equally entertained by the idea of showing waterboy the wonderful world of trashy reality TV.
"N- no? It sounds uh... romantic?" The younger man said, finally sitting Down. Flambae let out a deep laugh.
"HAH! You'd think so wouldn't you! But no! It's all about fucking, fighting, and getting drunk! If you think British accents are annoying, wait till you hear them after 5 martinis." He joked. Waterboy laughed even though he didn't really get it.
"So do y- you and Prism usually do this?" Waterboy asked, "watch TV at your place?"
"Oh yeah all the time." Flambae replied nonchalantly, still looking at the TV. There were 2 women in a pool yelling at eacbother over a guy addicted to vaping who looked like a donkey. Waterboy wondered what was funny about that, but Flambae seemed to enjoy it.
"I always see you two leave on the way o-out of work. Are you... c- close? As in together?" Waterboy asked, looking down at his own lap. I would be obvious to Flambae how flustered he was if the older man hadn't been so taken back by the question.
"What? No. I don't swing that way wetboy. Plus she's fucking crazy. I wouldn't wish that on myself!" He laughed, knowing he would've gotten his shit rocked for that if she was still there.
"Ah okay that's- that's good to know. S- sorry for assuming, heh...'
Flambae felt a small ping of ache in his stomach as he thought about his next sentence.
"Why? You interested in her huh? Good luck man." Flambae said trying to sound lighthearted, which was hard for him. Especially in that moment.
"Well, no... ah I think I should go soon, b- but I was actually uh. Oh god. I-"
Waterboy tried to continue with what he wanted to say, but his body had other plans. He grabbed his stomach and barfed up what could only be described as a lake full of water, trying to aim for the hard floor rather than the rug.
"I'm s- so sorry I just, well I wanted to- uh-"
"God Damnit Wetboy! What's your problem!" Flambae shouted, leaping from his seat on the couch, and gesturing his arms towards the mess. Flame shot out from his shoulders.
"Robert didn't prepare me for t- this!" Waterboy cried, slapping his hands on his head in frustration.
"What are you talking about?"
"I JUST C- CAME TO ASK YOU IF YOU W- WANTED TO GO TO DINNER. WITH ME." Waterboy shouted. He thought that this may have been the most embarrassing thing to ever happen to him.
"Are you fucking with me huh, pussyboy? So Prism told you then? You think you can come here and make fun of me? That's was your first mistake!" Flambae yelled. He had gone completely full of flame, and was stepping towards waterboy, steam pillowing out from his feet as he stepped across the puddle of water on the floor.
"Tell me what? Prism didn't tell me anyth- thing!" Waterboy replied, lifting his arms over his face to protect himself, and creeping backwards towards the kitchen counter. "I don't kn- know what I said wrong but I'm really s- sorry! I just thought we c- could go out..." he added.
"If you are rejecting m- me, I get- I understand! I'll stay away! I'm so so sorry I asked!
Flambae stopped in his tracks. His flames went down, but not completely.
"Really? Huh. Yeah alright I'll go to dinner with you." He smirked. In his head he hoped the other man wouldn't ask him any further about the whole Prism thing.
"Oh- oh wow. Wow Robert was r- right! I did it..." Waterboy mumbled to himself.
"Okay I'll- I'm gonna go, but I'll see you late- or- at work! Tomorrow? Yeah tomorrow! Bye..." Waterboy waved to Flambae, already halfway out the door.
The door slammed shut.
"Bye." Flambae said, hand lifted in the air but not really waving. No point in it either way since Waterboy was already gone. He heard a faint sound of wreching in the hallway, and laughed to himself.