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He was so mad at himself. Everyone knew him as someone who wasn’t afraid to get his hands dirty, or cause trouble for those around him. Hell, he was practically notorious for being difficult to deal with- near unpredictable, some would call him. So... why then? When had he ever actually shied away from his own thoughts and feelings? Sure, there were certain things he tried to keep to himself but by now he would have been less of a chicken shit and actually did something about what he was currently feeling. Maybe it also had to with the fact that the object- no, the person that was causing his current predicament didn’t even seem to be catching on yet.
Granted Malhare could be very subtle- too much so, one thing he hadn’t yet realized- and every other comment out of his mouth was either sarcastic, cynical, sinister, or otherwise merely laced with an undertone of ‘done with your bullshit please stop talking.’ It was indeed extremely rare that Malhare let his guard down that easily in front of anyone. Less so when Grimm had asked him if he was feeling alright one day, and especially when the bigger guy just so happened to be hanging around. Which thankfully wasn’t until very late into the evening usually, as Dread was the main attraction after all and had the task of playing the role of a big scary monster for hours on end. Except tonight, as it turns out- it was just as rare for much activity to happen on Sunday nights; the only reason Malhare even remembered what day it was at this point was because Dread had a tendency to hang around his manor and ensure everyone was staying out of trouble, lest anyone broke another one of his fancy vases or accidentally burned something down.
Naturally, Malhare tried to stay away from wherever the big guy went. His usual routine never changed- light some fires, organize odds and ends around the manor, take it easy in the nearest room- so the smaller guy figured it wouldn’t be too much of a task. And really, it shouldn’t have been- if only there wasn’t so much goddamn commotion already. As soon as Dread’s back was turned that was everyone’s cue to try and start shit. Specifically Grimm and some little shit kid who called himself Balloon Boy, who liked to play the longest round of tag imaginable around the building while the Withereds- one of the older Fazband crews- seemed to mingle elsewhere close by. Malhare could tell by Freddy’s belly laugh whenever Chica cracked a specific kind of joke, which he personally ignored in favor of sneaking out and upstairs, heading towards the room that was reserved especially for him.
The smaller guy was near that door already, able to dodge a quickly approaching Balloon Boy and Grimm and getting ready to jerk the handle until a shadow came up looming behind him. Was that supposed to come off as menacing? Judging by the outline, Malhare knew who it was already. He rolled his eyes and decided to humor them.
“And what do you want?” Malhare turned to the culprit, ready to make a snide comment, but was slightly taken aback by the look the other gave him.
There, in all their glory, stood one of the Foxys. Their eyes were gleaming with what could only be mischievous intent and their lips were curled up into a wolfish grin. Upon closer inspection Malhare realized it was Bit; it seemed they got bored tonight and came out of hiding. When he didn’t get a response, Malhare rolled his eyes and started turning back around to grab the doorknob.
“If you’re just going to be a creep, go b- aah?!”
He couldn’t finish his sentence, instead being cut off with an embarrassing squeak and fingers barely grazing along the knob as Bit grabbed him, dragging him away to what he assumed was another nearby room. Though the smaller guy tried to put up a fight- really, he tried so hard to squirm out of Bit’s hold- the other somehow managed to keep him from struggling too much and was able to keep him in their hold until the two were out of the hallway. The entire time the other didn’t even bother to reply yet, just keeping that stupid expression on their face.
Once the initial shock wore off- and he was aware of where he was- Malhare forced himself out of Bit’s grip and turned to them, huffing angrily and putting his hands on his hips. The other’s face morphed into one of innocent playfulness, now looking less of a devil and more like an excited or curious child. Before Malhare could question them again, Bit chuckled.
“You do a laughably awful job at trying to hide things, Mal.”
The smaller guy faltered for just a moment before attempting to save face. He raised an eyebrow, giving the other a look before grinning a little himself. “What’s laughable is you thinking you know me that well.”
Bit rolled his eyes and stepped closer, bending down somewhat and bringing a finger up to poke the smaller guy on the forehead. “Don’t try to act smart with me.” They stood up straight again, crossing their arms. “Have to admit, I’m kind of offended.” Bit started, tilting their head just so. Though they definitely did not look or sound the least bit upset about any accusations. “Don’t think I haven’t noticed you’re acting stranger than usual. I ain’t that oblivious or dumb.”
At that Malhare huffed again and crossed his arms, turning his head away with a small pout forming on his lips. He wasn’t even insinuating they were dumb, nor did he think any of his thoughts or feelings were noticeable. If Dread hadn’t realized something was up yet- being a little slow didn’t mean he wasn’t very intuitive- then how the hell would anyone else be able to tell? No one else really talked to him anyway, at least not as long as they did everyone else; and though that was mostly his doing, Malhare figured it was best things stayed that way- nobody had to know his business and he got to hatch up plans to get in trouble.
Bit was waiting patiently for some kind of response, but they knew the other would be stubborn. Once he was confronted like this it was as if he forgot how to act like himself, trying to keep his emotional walls up as high as they could go. With a small sigh, Bit put a hand on one of Malhare’s shoulders and leaned in.
“Listen, short stack, I may like to get on your nerves and we don’t always see eye to eye but I’m also the only other friend you can say you have.” They felt the other jump, and wasn’t at all deterred by the menacing glare that was sent their way. “If you want to talk about it, you know I’m the last person that will judge you.”
Malhare had a strange feeling this wasn’t an ‘if’ situation, not with Bit. The other was going to get it out of him, and that’s not what he wanted to happen. Not yet; it was too soon for Malhare- though he had spent days on end thinking about his feelings, and finally coming to terms with them just a couple days ago, admitting them to anyone else just wasn’t in the cards right now. Maybe that’s what Bit meant when they said he had been acting strange.
He quickly realized that yes, that must have been the giveaway after all; there had been a point literally days ago where Malhare was quieter than normal, a little more jumpy and causing less mischief for those around him. While he could play it off as something wrong in his system, Malhare knew that wouldn’t slide for the few that did see him often for they would notice something was up. He mentally cursed at himself for allowing himself to think so much knowing he couldn’t ever be completely alone with his thoughts.
Bit blinked, more than a little surprised at the lack of response- snarky or otherwise- from the other. They never thought Malhare was capable of being rendered speechless except when he was caught off guard by something, which was a rarity in itself and they knew Malhare would smite anyone if found in any vulnerable position. After another moment of silence Bit has to bite the bullet.
“Listen, Mal...” Problem was, they didn’t know how to go about this. If this was what they thought it was, Malhare was most definitely going to either blow a fuse or attack them with little warning. Still Bit continued, both hands now on either of the other’s shoulders. “I wouldn’t worry too much about it. The big guy seems to have a liking for you.”
They got cocky real quick, another little grin forming as they stood up straight again. A small part of them braced for impact- some sort of punch or well hidden weapon- but was pleasantly surprised when instead Malhare turned to them angrily before his face eventually- after seemingly flashing through a myriad of different emotions- settled into another small pout, shoulders slumped as he averted his gaze again. Looks like he already didn’t have much of a choice.
“I doubt that.” Malhare spat, but even he could hear it wasn’t nearly as angry as he wanted it to be. “And the idiot hasn’t picked up on it yet either so it seems.”
That’s not what he wanted to say. Quickly he attempted to backtrack, to come up with something else on the spot, but alas he already said it. There was no way to rewind time so he wouldn’t just blurt it out like that and he wanted to kick himself for doing it. Before he could even blink Bit had stepped behind him and blocked his way to the door so he couldn’t leave yet, face growing soft now. And yeah, Bit figured that was the case. They’ve seen longing glances and heard nervousness in one’s voice one too many times to not be able to pick up on it by now.
“How would you know he doesn’t feel the same if you haven’t taken the time to talk to him about it?” Bit said, sounding too much like a mentor now. When have they ever been able to come up with things to say at times like this? Have they been hanging around the Chicas more?
Malhare was already walking past them, a little ‘hmph’ all that left his mouth. Bit rubbed their temples for a moment and before the other could open the door they had turned and followed suit, slamming their hand into it and forcing it shut again with a bit of a loud ‘slam!’ That made Malhare actually jolt again in surprise before turning towards the other- not like he had much of a choice- and for a brief moment Bit felt a little bad for causing the initial reaction. But only a little. Why did Malhare have to be so goddamn stubborn?
“Any other time you don’t hesitate. Why now?” Bit scanned the other’s face, realizing that he was starting to turn a little pink in the face. Though it wasn’t out of anger, meaning Malhare had to be extremely nervous- rightfully so, of course, as this would be the first time he’s felt such a thing.
“Not gonna get anything out of you, huh?” Bit asked, face contorting a bit as they thought of the next step. If it were up to them they would just lock the two guys in a room until things were said but they knew they couldn’t do that right away. Not unless Bit wanted to be torn apart later, or chastised by Dread himself.
Finally Malhare did something so uncharacteristic of him that Bit wanted to chuckle; the smaller guy went to speak up- whether it was a smart comment or not he was probably unsure as well- only to get so nervous he hid his face in his hands and groaned softly. He did say something, but whatever it was he was trying to say was completely muffled.
“You’ll have to speak up, chief.” Bit backed up a little as they said this. Perhaps giving the other some space would help.
Malhare ran his hands down his face, feeling how warm it was getting. This was a new feeling, one he hadn’t even realized he was capable of. At the expense of his poor face and even ears- both getting extremely warm the more he thought- he replied, “I just assume he doesn’t feel the same since he hadn’t made anything obvious. But... why would he?”
Why would he what? Not like him back? Bit did chuckle now, covering their mouth a little with one hand. This of course earned them another little pout from the other, but thankfully the smaller guy hadn’t made a move to escape yet, which gave Bit the time they needed to finally say something about the situation.
“Oh, Mal, you really are oblivious sometimes.” Bit loosely folded their arms across their chest, resting an elbow in one of their hands. “Listen, buddy, old Dread wouldn’t go the extra mile for just anyone.”
When Malhare gave them a confused look, Bit was about ready to scream. Not necessarily out of annoyance, but more so to get it through the other’s head faster so the poor guy wasn’t beating himself up over something that could have been avoided.
“You know how the big lug makes sure everyone stays safe and out of trouble, yeah?” Bit started, and Malhare nodded. That much was obvious though. “Haven’t you noticed he seems more gentle with you? Whether you should be in big trouble or not he always lets some things slide when he figures out it was you who did something.”
Gentle? What was that supposed to mean? Before Malhare could respond, the other just kept talking. “And don’t get me started on your room.” Bit’s face lit up a little bit. “Sure, we all have our place here but Dread really made extra sure to make your space as perfect as possible. Like he knew you'd come back often.”
Malhare rolled his eyes. “He could have done that for anyone, idiot.” He crossed his arms now too, huffy again as he spoke. “Treating me as if I’m some fragile creature doesn’t mean anything.”
They haven’t even mentioned the more risqué things they heard sometimes- Dread was quiet, yes, but the man got a little loud during his own private time and couldn’t hide some of his moaning or whose name flew out of his mouth- though Bit also figured it was for the best right now. There was one thing they hadn’t yet mentioned, something that needed to be said, and one which might convince the other to actually think a little bit.
“You don’t have to believe me, but Dread seems to have taken a liking to you all things aside. He talks about you quite often, and I’m sure if you just talked to him-”
Malhare ignored anything that was said after that. Dread talked about him? The guy that barely talked as it was, the big man who was basically selectively mute… spoke to others about him of all things? He walked closer to Bit and covered their mouth, eyes glancing just over one of their shoulders so he wouldn’t have to make eye contact.
“What exactly has he said?” Both could hear he almost stammered at first, but that didn’t matter nearly as much as whatever the big guy thought or said. Bit smiled softly now, knowing full well that it would catch Malhare’s attention.
Bit turned him around and slung an arm around his shoulders as they headed for the door, dragging Malhare with him. The smaller guy allowed it, only if it meant the other would talk and spill it. Bit knew this, so they purposefully waited until both stepped out of the room so they could drag Malhare to wherever Dread would be.
“All sorts of things, really. How much trouble you can be, he likes to bring up how small you are, thinks you’re very smart. Which, I mean, anyone could say that but-”
Dread… compliments him? Bit even said themself that others could say similar things but for the big guy to- allegedly, anyway- openly say nice things about people said a lot about how he really felt. Malhare knew the big guy couldn’t lie, nor did he like to. And Bit wouldn’t just say bring up something like that if they weren’t remembering things correctly- they had hell of a memory, so Malhare knew they weren’t lying either. It was safe to say that whatever else Bit was saying was drowned out instantly, the smaller guy not able to comprehend being complimented whatsoever. Not like anyone else really did it either, which started to put things into perspective a little bit. There was still a hint of doubt, however, as Malhare knew he was very abrasive and demanding while Dread liked to keep to himself and probably wouldn’t enjoy actually being around him that often. And that was fine, really- Malhare made it a point to stay in the shadows sometimes so he could bother people without actually getting in the way.
He had been so deep in thought the smaller guy didn’t realize they had ended up at the door to Dread’s private quarters- which really was just a huge office space, but quarters sounded better so the big guy called it that. Once realization dawned on him, Malhare tried to get away. He pushed against Bit with as much force as he could muster. Bit was stronger and faster at the moment, dragging Malhare into the room and pushing him into the huge armchair near the fireplace.
“Either you do it this way and wait or Dread finds you bound in his quarters.”
Malhare bit back a gasp. Though the idea was tempting- one other thing he never really fought against was being held down- he didn’t want Dread of all people seeing him in such a position. He already felt so out of place, and being surrounded by such fancy looking furniture in his state made him a little nervous.
“Good.” Bit replied, smiling. Before they walked out of the room, they turned their head. “If I find out you left, lover boy’s going to have hell of a time undoing knots.”
Malhare sputtered, unable to come up with a response to that before the door closed and he was left to his own devices. With a sigh- more so another little huff- Malhare sat back in the armchair and brought his legs up so he could bring his knees to his chest if he so chose, deciding to get comfortable just in case Bit really was standing guard outside the door.
Dread was just about finished dusting and putting things back in place when he felt a presence beside him. Without even glancing the person’s way, he hummed. It wasn’t much of a greeting, but when he was preoccupied there wasn’t helping that.
“You can tell when I’m here?” Bit always acted surprised, but then again they knew what the other would say-
“You’re quiet.” There it was, the short answer, making Bit chuckle and clasp their hands behind their back as if they were a child waiting for their turn to hop onto a jungle gym or play some game.
Bit waited for Dread to put the vase and books away before saying anything more. They knew the big guy wouldn’t care, but Dread was very meticulous when it came to his manor and thought it was rude to distract him before he finished. Not even a moment later Dread set the rag he was using down somewhere and turned his attention to Bit.
“Something wrong?” Dread asked, tilting his head ever so slightly. Bit never really came out of hiding to socialize, and when they did it usually had to do with Malhare, Grimm, or the Jack Os.
Bit’s face was practically beaming, another grin forming on their lips and eyes twinkling with almost naughty intent. Dread didn’t trust that look at all, having had experiences with Fredbear’s little grumpy partner.
“Nothing’s wrong, big guy.” they started, walking up to him with a bounce in their step. “I just managed to snatch Mal for you and he should be waiting in your quarters.”
Malhare? In his quarters? How in the world did Bit manage to get him to stay, if he was still there? At the look Dread gave them the other couldn’t help but laugh. “I have my ways, Dread.”
The little inflection at the end worried Dread sometimes, but given how much commotion usually happened Bit wasn’t as much trouble as the others were. Still, the fact they managed to drag Malhare anywhere was a surprise in itself, and though curiosity got to him at first, he decided to follow Bit back to the office.
“Took a bit of fighting to get him to comply, but I think I managed to keep him in his place.” Bit had said at one point, sounding proud of themself. Dread had to interrupt them right there, just to make sure nothing bad happened.
“No, no! Listen, Dread-” Bit was a little too short to reach the big guy’s shoulders, so instead they patted him on the arms. “At the risk of sounding a little rude, you two are so oblivious it’s almost sad. Neither of you are very subtle when it comes to how you feel about each other.”
Dread, though not easily embarrassed, couldn’t help but feel a little dumb. They were right, because of course they were, but he thought it wasn’t as obvious. Sure, he gave Malhare a bit of extra treatment when he was around but surely the others thought it was purely because Malhare was a ticking time bomb and Dread knew to tread lightly. The big guy hadn’t thought that someone was studying them so closely and could figure it out.
“Does he… have any idea?” Dread asked, momentarily shocked at how nervous he sounded. Bit could hear it too, but was nice enough to pretend they hadn’t.
“He assumed otherwise, let’s go with that.” Bit rolled their eyes, but there was nothing in their tone that indicated genuine annoyance. “So you two are going to talk no matter how long or little it takes.”
Dread couldn’t argue with that. He had been meaning to get the smaller guy alone with him for a little while now, but if it wasn’t Malhare running- or really, hiding- away it was due to himself being busy that he couldn’t find the right time to do so. Which was a shame because in the few months they had been able to run into each other they found rather good company in one another. Even at the expense of Dread’s furniture during a really bad episode or when the big guy decided to stay quiet for whatever the reason was.
Even being somewhat lost in his thoughts Dread knew the way to his quarters very well, but before they walked up to the door the other stopped him. Blinking down at them, Dread waited for Bit to speak.
With a soft smile, Bit once again patted the big guy’s arm a little bit. “I know you’re a man of few words, but maybe hearing why you have feelings for him will put him at ease if you need to.”
Dread nodded once before Bit bid him farewell. As they walked away, however, the big guy could hear the implications in their last comment- which they must have said loudly on purpose. “Have fun, you two!”
The big guy couldn’t even say anything in return, a hint of nervousness bubbling up in his chest as he pushed the handle down and stepped into the office. He noticed the fireplace was on- he hadn’t done that himself yet- meaning the smaller guy was still in here. Probably in the armchair, as there was no sign of him elsewhere. Swallowing down all second thoughts and the agitation that was building, Dread walked over to the chair- it was facing the fire, he realized- and upon reaching it he glanced down at the relaxed Malhare lounging in the seat.
This was… quite a rarity as well. Malhare was usually comfortable in his quarters, but Dread was able to look him over quickly and relish in just how calm he was; the other’s eyes had drifted closed, chest rising and falling slowly, rhythmically. Malhare was so small he was able to almost lay in the fetal position, though he kept his legs down a bit more- probably so as not to be seen as ‘vulnerable,’ an easy target.
Dread felt bad for bothering him, but if what Bit had been implying is true… there would be no better time than now to try getting an answer out of him. He rested his hand on the smaller guy’s head, moving it as if petting him to gauge the other’s reaction. Malhare jolted at the touch, but didn’t stir. So Dread moved down to his shoulder, gently shaking him. The smaller guy groaned quietly and stirred a little bit, giving Dread the opportunity to finally speak up.
“Mal?” Dread’s voice was low and quiet, as if worried any sudden movement would cause the other to jump and flee.
And Malhare reacted right away, eyes flying open and sitting up so fast he felt his head starting to spin and could have sworn he saw little white strings in his vision. When had he even come in? Looking up at Dread, Malhare’s face fell in a pout but he made no move to get away. Instead, he crossed his arms and focused his gaze on the fire, making it out as if he were enamored by watching the flames crackle in shades of red and orange. It was nice and warm though, and helped calm some of his anxiety, so it was a good thing that Malhare dared touch the fireplace.
The big guy figured he was going to react that way. Unlike the other, however, Dread didn’t want to dwell any longer or make the silence drag on uncomfortably long. So against his better judgement- readying himself in case he had to capture the smaller guy- he spoke up again.
“Mal, we’re going to talk.” He hoped he didn’t sound too stern, the nervousness coming back quickly.
Malhare turned to face him, squinting. “Actually, we can save it for another day. So excu-”
The big guy moved quickly, faster than either thought he was capable of. In the blink of an eye Dread stood in front of the smaller guy, hands on his hips and towering over him for a moment. At the surprised gasp he heard, Dread knew he had to be a little slow now, even gentle; so he then moved, kneeling down on one knee- that way they were almost eye to eye. Malhare was still taken aback from just a second ago, unable to tear his eyes away from the other, but still said nothing.
As if he knew what was going to happen, Dread brought one of his hands up and gently grabbed the smaller guy’s jaw, making him face forward. Malhare averted his gaze, so Dread continued again. This time he was going to start off easy, and if he knew Malhare well enough the other would blurt something out in his haste to get away.
“Did… Bit tell you anything?” Dread asked, feigning some of the curiosity. Really, he was wondering more about just how strongly Malhare felt; as slow as he was in regards to feelings even Dread himself could tell there had been a lot of tension between them both for some time. Things started adding up over time, sure, however it was when Bit had to be the one to say anything to him that the pieces finally came together.
Malhare felt his face heating up already. The big guy was much too close, hand bigger than his face and gaze so stern yet full of something gentle and soft that it made his chest feel weird. And of course Bit would be the one to spill things, as they were known to do. With a little click of his tongue Malhare rolled his eyes.
“That idiot has too big a mouth.” he started, moving his head away but deciding to stay put. He crossed his arms. “What did they say this time?”
Though that didn’t exactly answer his question, Dread was glad the smaller guy had a short fuse. Meant he could move things along faster, get to the important part of their supposed-to-be conversation. Tilting his head as if he were thinking, Dread let out a short little hum.
“Enough to confirm my suspicions.” Dread replied, and he didn’t miss the look Malhare sent him. Mix of confusion and what appeared to be worry, which was odd as Malhare rarely worried- and certainly never showed when he actually was.
“Just tell me how you feel, Mal.” Dread made sure his voice was gentle and soothing, keeping his movement minimal. It really was as if he was dealing with something fragile sometimes, but the last thing he wanted to do was scare the other off.
Malhare opened his mouth to say something, anything, only to clam up and stay quiet. And whenever he did try to start a sentence, he would stammer so much at the beginning or while he spoke that it sounded as if he were glitching. How anyone could be so much more open about these things he would never understand, and he disliked how weird his body was feeling the more he struggled to just outright admit what he desperately wanted to. He had to, otherwise it would continue bothering him- and he had no excuse to hide it either, or be so hung up on this, if what Bit had said held any ounce of truth.
The big guy sat patiently, not wanting to rush this as he knew it would be extremely difficult for the other to do. Luckily he usually always had the patience of a saint- much to Malhare’s dismay sometimes- and would wait as long as he needed to. Except this time he didn’t have to. Malhare did end up saying something, but Dread could hear it came out in a rush and the other was mumbling, not looking at him. Dread sighed softly, a little lopsided smile forming at how much of an embarrassed mess Malhare was now.
“Can you repeat that, please?” Dread studied the smaller guy closely, hoping he wasn’t pushing too much.
Malhare covered his face, a strange little sound coming out of his mouth- was that a squeak?- before he practically shouted, “I like you, okay?!”
Though it was still muffled, the big guy understood perfectly. If this were a cartoon surely Malhare would be all red with steam coming out of his ears, but Dread couldn’t laugh at him for feeling that way. Quick to anger and ever scary when he wanted to be, this shift in Malhare was partially welcomed even if it meant he was a little uncomfortable.
When Dread didn’t answer for a moment, Malhare was already thinking of how to get away again. For a split second he thought this really was just a practical joke- an awful one at that but a joke nonetheless- and wanted to mentally berate himself for being so stupid. For attempting- very poorly- to open up. Only to feel his hands being moved, Dread’s hands so careful and gentle that it shocked him into making their eyes meet.
He’s never seen Dread like this before. He was always so serious and even a little aloof, to the point where there was usually a day they hadn’t even crossed paths at all. Now he was here, kneeling in front of Malhare, laid back and looking so relaxed, and even a little... happy? Relieved? What was that twinkle in his eyes? Or was it a trick of their only light source at the moment?
Dread was trying to find the words to say as well. He could be more articulate than the smaller guy, waxing poetic for the next few minutes, but seeing as how troublesome this had been already… the big guy figured short and sweet would be best. So he leaned in, rubbing their noses together momentarily, before a surprisingly content noise came from his throat. When the big guy backed away, Malhare saw what he would describe as a dopey little smile and it was much too cute.
“Been meaning to tell you for a while now.” The big guy swallowed a lump in his throat. He wasn’t nearly as calm as he probably looked. “I may have caught feelings for you a couple months back.”
Hearing it was so much different than trying to imagine anything coming out of it. Malhare’s stomach was in little knots and he wanted his chest to stop it’s damn thumping already so he could speak up or listen or whatever the other wanted him to do. Unfortunately he was getting excited; fingers twitching, hands wanting to do something, legs feeling a little like jelly from his much he was starting to tremble from emotion- he needed to shake off the emotions currently going through him. He couldn’t find it in him to move, however.
Instead- and without meaning to- the only thing he could muster was a surprisingly soft “How?”
The way he looked at him right now, Dread would say the other was almost in a trance. He knew Malhare was trying to study him and calculate what he was really thinking or going to do next, not used to anyone treating him as something special, let alone feeling anything remotely 'good' towards him. Dread didn’t want him to think that way though, so taking Bit’s advice in mind the big guy stood up and, in the process, picked up the other easily. It surprised Malhare, and the smaller guy instinctively grabbed at the big guy’s shoulders as he was hoisted up into the air for that brief moment.
Once on his back- on Dread's desk- Malhare struggled to get up, but not for very long; the big guy didn’t even have to try really, as just staring him down for a minute managed to subdue the smaller guy. Long enough for Dread to rest his hands on either side of Malhare’s head, pressing closer so their bodies were almost touching from the waist down. Malhare kept his hands on the other’s shoulders, just in case he had to push Dread away- which, in retrospect, would presumably be futile.
“You really want me to answer that?” Dread tilted his head, waiting for a response first. He wanted to make sure Malhare was being honest with him, didn’t want to make him uncomfortable or freak him out.
Malhare’s eyes shifted a bit, avoiding the other’s gaze now as he nodded. The movement was so subtle, almost would have gone unnoticeable, but Dread already knew that would be the response. And though he really wasn’t up for talking too much at the moment- he had a little trouble comprehending what was currently happening- Bit did say it would probably help relax the other. For the time they were alone, at least, so Dread made another noise in the back of his throat and softly caressed one of Malhare’s cheeks with a finger. The big guy felt a little jolt and paused, only for the other to lean into the touch. Breathing a quiet sigh of relief, Dread felt his shoulders loosen up a bit and used his thumb now to gently rub the same area. A slow back and forth motion, which was rather new to Malhare- he’s never allowed anyone to get this close to him, let alone touch him like this, and while the big guy didn’t have to be so gentle Malhare appreciated that Dread was doing just that.
The big guy then brought both his hands up to gently grasp at Malhare’s face, firm enough to keep his head still but not so much that the other couldn’t move away if he wanted. Suddenly at a loss for words, distracted by how… soft Malhare looked, how nervous he was and the way he was eyeing him right now. How was he going to start?
“You’re intelligent and clever, to start.” At the look Malhare sent his way the big guy knew to cut him off before he could even respond. “Anyone else’s level of intelligence doesn’t undermine yours.”
The smaller guy let out the tiniest huff. Not so much out of annoyance at Dread’s words than the fact that he knew the big guy was right. One thing he always got from the others- besides being annoyed, mad, or surprised- was the fact that he had more of a brain than some of them put together had functioning brain cells. Or at least it felt like it sometimes.
“Did you know you have a cute face?” Dread said this so suddenly and with such seriousness Malhare had to stare at him now to see the dopey little smile forming. Now he wouldn’t call himself vain- most of the time- but he already knew that. They all looked good on purpose, and in reality no one found any of them ugly or not worthy of a few glances.
“And pretty eyes.” Malhare felt his gaze shift for a second, suddenly embarrassed again. That wasn’t quite what he was expecting to hear.
“You look good in your vest.” As he continued the big guy moved his hands down to Malhare’s shoulders, ever so gently massaging them before suddenly capturing the other’s hands- which were still on his shoulders, both realized. “Such small hands.”
That last part was more muttered than spoken aloud, however Malhare heard the amusement in that statement nonetheless and glared daggers at the other. Or rather, attempted to glare angrily at the big guy, only for Dread to seemingly ignore it. If anything Dread allowed himself to grin, showing some teeth and all the smaller guy could do now was roll his eyes. He knew he wouldn’t be able to hide anything for long though, not with how warm his face had gotten and how nervous he had been through all this. Surely Dread could tell too- he only chose to play dumb sometimes, and despite being a little slow in some things he was anything but.
“Honesty comes almost naturally to you, even if you’re a little stubborn.” Oh, both of them knew that very well. Malhare almost snorted, instead making himself chuckle- he couldn’t quite argue with that.
Despite his initial reaction, Malhare found himself calming down considerably and quickly. Whether that was because the other’s words, or perhaps his voice, maybe both just a constant barrage against his second thoughts. Something about their position and how close they were, with a fire still going not far from them… it felt quite romantic. The thought of being intimate and romantic would have made Malhare blow a fuse and try to run away, but Dread had a weird effect on him and he was now willingly glued to the desk under him, awaiting anything else the big guy wanted to say.
When Dread didn’t say anything else for a moment, Malhare decided to do what he had wanted to for a while. He was able to take his hands back and looped his arms around the big guy’s neck, moving one hand just so to allow himself to slowly rub his fingers along the nape of it. The movement relaxed the big guy, but then suddenly that same hand moved up to the back of Dread’s head and forced it down while Malhare simultaneously surged upward, making their lips connect forcefully. Figured it wouldn’t hurt if the feelings were indeed mutual.
A sudden rush of wanting ran through Dread’s body and he desperately wanted to deepen the kiss. Which he did, hands going to the other’s waist to anchor himself and allowing his lips to part as his tongue snaked out. Malhare took the chance to slip his tongue inside too, and both were content with slowly exploring each other’s mouths, tongues lazily waltzing around with teeth only gently clashing a couple times in their haste. Their eyes had slipped closed, enjoying the closeness and warmth, and while something inside Dread was nagging at him to go further he also knew better than that; Malhare probably wasn’t ready, so using most of his self control the big guy was first to break the kiss. As Malhare still had hell of a grip on him, Dread stayed close, foreheads touching now as the big guy relaxed further.
Another moment passed- had time gotten slower?- before both opened their eyes and looked at each other. Any hint of distress or worry the other had felt seemed to dissolve into something else entirely; Dread felt how relaxed the smaller guy was, body not taut in the slightest and no sign of wanting to fight and get away. This might be the first time Dread managed to see Malhare in such a state, and for him to be the one that got him like that was… granted, it was an odd feeling, but nonetheless one that swelled his chest with a bit of pride at the knowledge.
Both were silent for another minute or so. Malhare was still trying to wrap his head around what just happened; just a bit ago he was so scared- which was very unlike him- and unsure and now that feelings were out there he could feel all the tension leaving his body in small waves. Sure, there was still a little doubt deep down, but even he couldn’t deny that the sparks flew and they definitely had a connection. All this could have been avoided- of course Bit was right- but he had to be absolutely sure not only of his own feelings but that all this wasn’t just a long dream or some type of simulation he was stuck in.
A bit of movement snapped him out of his thoughts, only to let out a little giggle as he felt Dread’s lips ghost over a spot on his neck while the big guy kissed upward towards his face again. Only this time Dread trailed upward, leaving a little peck at his forehead and another on one of his ears.
“Would you like to leave?”
Hearing Dread speak up again after the moment was admittedly a shock- heavens, that voice- but Malhare got over it quickly. Eyebrows furrowed slightly and a hint of that now signature pout, the smaller guy looked like he wanted to start throwing a tantrum at the mere suggestion.
“I want to stay here with you.”
The honesty and pure caring tone behind that statement made both guys freeze for a second. Dread because that was absolutely adorable and Malhare because he didn’t mean to sound so… childish? Needy?
“Let me grab a book then.” Dread started moving away, helping the other sit up and then get back on his feet. “We can sit by the fire together.”
Malhare swore he felt himself vibrating from how happy he was, but he tried to mask it with a hint of annoyance as the big guy grabbed his hand and led him back to the armchair. But he couldn’t deny Dread anything- not that he ever had reason to before- so once the big guy had found a piece of literature Malhare allowed himself to be gently manhandled and sat in the big guy’s lap. Which did make him get a little flustered but otherwise he snuggled up a little closer, not caring about the silence that followed.