Work Text:
It was yet another exhausting day. Everyone in the company had been practicing for the DMD Land 3 for months now, aligning their schedules according to their practice sessions. Pete was no different; he had an upcoming boy group to debut in, along with two of his very close friends; Fifa and Reeonn, which took most of his time. And he also had other group performances, one of them being done by each DMD line-up. The Domundi line-ups were separated by generations, Pete being a part of the 5th. He had been practicing with everyone, including Wave – especially Wave – and now they finally had a break.
Wave stretched his arms and legs on the studio floor, groaning and lightly screaming due to the pain every inch of his body was suffering from. He felt too hot inside the small room, and needed something to cool him down immediately. He spotted Pete sitting on a chair near the air conditioner, and decided to ask him, “Pete, can you buy me ice cream?” They weren’t strangers, nor were they formal with each other, so Wave didn’t need to think much about what he said when it came to Pete.
“Hm? Yeah.. What flavour?” Pete stirred lightly beside him, stretching his arms up and flexing them back down before standing up. “Strawberry, right?” Wave nodded, excited. Pete smiled fondly, nodding back before leaving the room to make a run downstairs to the company cafeteria. “Two Strawberry ice creams, please.” He politely showed his ‘Artist Card’ and sprint back up before the ice cream melted, handing one off to Wave.
Wave settled down on the chair beside Pete’s, and they sat in silence for a while, eating their ice creams right under the aircon. Pete bit his lower lip, contemplating something, before he faced Wave. "Wave?"
"Hm?" Wave didn’t look at him, his focus rather on the ice cream in his hand.
"Do you want to be my partner? In the next friendship season?" Pete started, finally letting his loud thoughts take over.
"Why?" Wave still didn’t look at him, as if the ice cream was more interesting than whatever Pte had to say.
"I mean, we will have to choose someone... you know..?" The younger quickly took a small bite off his melting ice cream, before focusing his attention back to Wave.
"And do you have someone in mind, Pete?" Wave’s head slowly looked up, meeting Pete’s eyes, neither of them daring to blink.
"What does it look like? When I ask you if you want to be my partner?" Pete challenged, his chin nodding up at Wave.
"I don’t know.. I don’t think they'll force us to choose someone." Oh.
"So that's a no, I’m taking?" Pete hears his heart die.
"I didn't say that~" But then he hears the teasing tone in Wave’s voice, and he grows annoyed, wanting a clear answer.
"Wave." He warns.
Wave chuckles, dangling his legs on the chair. "It's fun"
Pete looks at him, curious. "What is?"
"Messing with you, being with you, and.. talking with you." His voice quietened.
Beside him, Pete's heart started thudding against his chest, his knuckles went white from the force he exerted on the chair.
"What's on your mind?" He inquired, with a tinge of hope bubbling inside his chest.
"Just... thinking," Wave brought the ice cream back to his lips as he bit the top off. The silence probed him further, "about us, I mean." he continues.
“About.. us?” Pete asked, unsure if he misheard it.
"Hmm.. yeah, if we become partners, what will happen? And you know, etcetera etcetera.." The shorter tried to brush off the topic, but he failed to do so.
"I'm 18 now.." Pete stated, attempting to make a point even he didn’t know needed to be made.
"Hm.. you're 18." Wave agreed, voice monotonous.
"And we're friends, too." Pete continued.
"We fight a lot." Wave objected, on instinct.
"It's playful. we're close, aren't we?" He heard Pete's hopeful tone and decided to tease him more.
"You're annoying." he smirked at the younger, who tilted his head, ready to retort. "But it's cute. I like what we have." he admits, suddenly feeling shy of himself and the situation they were in.
Silence stretched across the room, allowing them to breathe and sit with their feelings; silence of the good kind.
"We should go.." Wave suddenly stood up, facing Pete who looked up at him, blinking in confusion and a tinge of disappointment of this moment being broken. "We can talk about this later, let's go home first." He extended his hand towards Pete, in attempt to coax the boy, who took a hold of it in no time.
"Hmm.. later. but you'll have to give me an answer soon, or whenever you're ready. I can wait." Pete squeezed wave's hand, and quickly rubbed his thumb over it, prompting another response.
"You're being annoying again." Wave warned, Pete laughed softly, his hands going up to his ear in apology, still not letting go off Wave's.
"Sorry, sorry, let's go." Pete didn’t know why he suddenly felt so happy, as if there was hope for him to be with Wave as more than friends; maybe as workmates, or forever a best friend. He doesn't care, as long as he's by wave's side. He's ready to support him however he can, growing fond of the older in such a short time.