Work Text
It takes about a week for the dust to settle.
They had been putting out fires left and right, getting the school up and running .Turns out was not a seamless process.But in the end they opened. They did it, he would never admit it but seeing the joy and relief on his friends face’s was almost enough for him to do it all again. And he lives in the feeling for a second.He’s a realist, he knows life will go back to normal, him doing odd jobs and making things he’s not passionate about just to put food on the table for him and his mom…and Aran.Because oh boy is that a large (well dressed) elephant in the room of things he has been avoiding tackling head on.Listen, he's not a complete idiot.He knows the forced proximity and near death experiences have bonded them to a certain degree. And as much as he hates to admit it, he’s grown incredibly..invested in Arans growth as a person, mostly he’s just worried that the guy wouldn’t last a second in the real world without…somebody there to guide him a bit as he finds his footing. If that someone is him, well that can’t be helped at this point, he reasons.Aran is trying. He volunteers at the school, hes making hats to start a small business, he’s even helping Tattoo with designs for his inventions.And here is where his problem starts. Tattoo cant say No to him anymore. 1.“I don’t know why you can't choose a happier color for the canisters, that’s all I'm saying!”“The color of the case doesn’t affect the potency of the compound Aran! ““I thought you liked the last ones I helped with..” says Aran before pouting. Turning his body on the couch to face the wall in a huff. Before silently picking back up his knitting. Apparently you can passive aggressively knit. The more you know.Tattoo stares at the back of his head for 30 seconds. In the past he would have simply told him “No, fuck off” now before he even knows what hes saying he blurts out“Fine. what ‘happy’ color do you think goes best with knock out spray?”, he’s going for exasperation. He does not succeed in keeping a small bit of amusement out of his voice .But the little smile Aran gives him and he bounces back to look at Tattoo before launching into a monologue about color theory and the power of yellow with florals.Tattoo does not find this charming. Not even a little bit. And this just keeps happening! 2.He’s picking up food after a long shift at the school,( children have way too much energy??)He texts Aran to tell him he’s gonna grab noodles from the cart that adds the chili oil they like. He’s halfway there when he gets a call.He doesn't have to look to know who it is, before he picks up ,”What? I’m almost there.”
“ I don’t want noodles, I already had them for lunch,” the boy whines.See, the old Tattoo would have grunted and said, “tough luck, eat it or don’t, not my problem.” And he had every intention of saying just that.What comes out of his mouth is, “Then what do you want to eat, and it better be close to the noodle spot, cause I'm not going across town for this shit, Aran!”They settle on Khao Kha Moo. That he begrudgingly picks up 3 blocks over before taking his bus back to their flat.He is so ready to bitch about it as soon as he walks in the front door, but then he seeing Aran, laying on their couch ( shit, when did it become ‘their’ anything?) , finishing knitting his third hat that week, in one of Tattoos old long sleeves, that he calls ugly everytime he sees it,but still wears as pajamas whenever its clean.Which….Tattoo absolutely does not find adorable, definitely not. Ppfft. If all the fight didn’t leave his body after taking in the sight in front of him, Arans eyes looking up and giving him a soft smile was the final blow.Shit.Aran slides his project off his lap, and slowly stands up stretching and looking sleepy and content for the first time in weeks.Why does he look so cute right now?Should a heart beat this fast standing still?Its gotta be the heat.Whatever he's hungry, and exhausted, all he manages is a small smile and a “let’s eat”.Back to normal.3.
He’s finishing up dropping off an order for a client when his phone starts buzzing.“Aran, i’ll be home in 5 minutes, can this wait?”
“Tattoo, it’s Hoy!”His stomach drops. Something is wrong.“Why are you calling on Arans phone? What happened?”“Listen man, don't' panic, but Aran got jumped walking to the school today.”“WHAT DO YOU MEAN DON'T PANIC? Is he okay? Are you guys at the hospital? Who the fuck did it??” Tattoo yells in to the phone.“Woah woah dude breath. He’s gonna be fine, just a little bruised,and freaked out. No hospital, we’re at your flat. Hope, Save, and Jack are asking around to see if anyone saw anything. They only got a couple punches in before recognizing him and booking it.”Hoy is saying all of this in his calm voice, which Tattoo despises right now, he's not a scared child, his friend got hurt he’s rightfully worried, that's all.“Can I talk to him?” he asks, needing to just hear Arans voice.There’s some shuffling, and muffles sounds before he hears Aran speaks, his voice is soft and slightly shaken as he says a simple “hi”To this day he does not know what came over him when he says“ baby are you okay? What happened?”Baby.Baby?BABY?!Never in his LIFE has he called anyone that. Mortifying.
He holds his breath, as the endearment hangs in the air between them.“I…I'm sorry, I was stupid I didn't hear-”“Are you hurt? Do you need anything? I’m on my home right now!”“ I’m ok, my lip is swollen, and I scraped my arms up when i fell and they kicked me.”Fuck. He hates running.He makes it to their room in record time, dripping with sweat, but there.As he walks in he sees Hoy and Joke sitting at the table both on their phones, probably getting updates from Jack and Save about what they've found out about the dumbasses who did this.Aran is laying on the couch, a melting ice pack over his lip and gauze wrapped around his right forearm.Tattoo has seen so much worse. Had had so much worse done to him. Really this wouldn't even rank as a major upset if it were anyone else.But this was Aran.Aran who was trying his hardest not to cry. With Tattoo standing in front of him looking him over to confirm he was really ok.Aran who is looking away because he thinks Tattoo is gonna tell him to suck it up and not let it get to him. To Self soothe like they talked about.And he would say that. He Has. He was gonna.But then he sees one tear fall down his cheek.And then Joke and Hoy are treated to a sight they never thought they would see in their lifetimes.Tattoo is 3 big steps, climbing onto the couch and wrapping Aran up in his arms. Aran doesn’t hesitate to tuck his face into the crook of his neck, still trying his best to stop more tears from coming.“Baby you can cry, it's ok.” Tattoo whispers in his ear, only loud enough for him to hear.And then the flood gates open.
And it becomes abundantly clear that these tears aren't for today, these tears are a culmination of the weeks, months, years, of pain and suffering and guilt. Tears to mourn a life he no longer has or wants, tears for his vindictive father who never chose him, tears for somehow managing to stumble into a family of people who may just want him to stick around.
It all comes out. Joke and Hoy exchange looks with Tattoo, their eyes stating clearly that this is a private moment, and that they're a phone call away if he needs them, then they quietly leave the apartment to let their friends have some space. Tattoo rubs Arans back until sobs turn into whimpers and then quiet sniffles end.It’s dark in the apartment now. Only a small light above his work bench is on, bathing the room in a dim warm glow.Aran pulls back enough to look at him, eyes puffy from crying, but more alert than earlier.“Sorry.”Tattoo wipes his tear streaked cheeks , “don’t, you needed that. Cleary,” he tries to joke. A small huff of laughter breaks the tension a bit.With his arms still wrapped around Aran he takes a deep breath and asks ‘what can I do to make this day suck less for you?”God he is so out of his element on this one. He is not the guy you go to for comfort. Hes the one you go to when you need a no bullshit answer. No fluff.Still, he can't help but ache for some way to get that mischievous spark back into this boy's eyes.And that must show. Because of course Aran would request the most upsetting thing yet. Why wouldn't he?“Will you finally model my Hats for my website?”“ You little opportunistic brat.” he mumbles.“You said anything, Babe!!”Aran, making a point to call him out on the pet name, shut him up for the rest of the night. Well until the hats come out,He wonders how insane he looks as he tries to remain straight faced and displeased, in a series of progressively more colorful and fluffy hats, as Aran orders him around, in the guise of Artistic direction.“Stop making that face!”
“What this is just my face!”
“ Then why do you look like you ate a lemon! The longer you make me wait, the longer you wear the hats!”The camera might have caught a smirk or two after that. But that’s his business.In bed, with Aran cuddled into his side, no excuse given beyond the need for comfort after a long hard day, Tattoo realizes that he is incapable of saying no to this brash beautiful boy , and he’s just gotta learn to live with that truth. +1In the end it's simple.It's early in the morning.The neighborhood is waking up. “ Do you like me?”“No.” Tattoo says with a smile made for one, before leaning in to kiss the boy he loves.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Tattoo had never really given any deep thought to the concept of being in love, or being romantic.Never really felt like he had to. He’d had a couple short relationships when he was still in school, and a handful of Hook Ups throughout the years, and he was content with that.Until Aran happened.—------------------------Tattoo had to go to the school to help Jack set up the new and improved reading nook. He had been talking about it for weeks and this was the first day where neither of them had any conflicts get in the way.“Where are you going?” Aran asked from his cross legged position on the bed, surrounded by various colors of yarn splayed around him as he experimented with new patterns for his upcoming collection.“Jack needs some of my tools to set up that reading corner. My client canceled on me, so I told him I could swing by today,” he says, putting on his jacket and grabbing his keys from the little flower bowl Aran had brought home from a mark last week.“Can I come?” Aran asks, perking up, bouncing off the bed to grab his purse before Tattoo has even answered.Tattoo should not be this endeared to simple actions like this, but he can't help it, Aran kind of makes him lose his mind. The boy is just fascinating to him, down to the way he moves.He doesn't realize he's just standing there, smiling like an idiot until Aran tilts his head at him with a questioning eyebrow, that he snaps out of it,“Sure baby, let's go.” before guiding Aran out the door with his hand at the small of his back.And if he moved his hand to squeeze at his waste a little tighter a little more possessive when they're on the street , that's between them.They grab dinner on their way back. Walking down the street shoulders and hands brushing again each other with every step. Aran moves over, like a magnet Tattoo follows, He has never been a clingy person, never huge on physical affection and yet, he cant stop it now. Especially when he sees how bright Arans eyes get as he moves to hold his hand for the rest of their walk home. —---------------A week later, Aran had a meeting with Rose about potentially being an investor and hosting a small fashion show to display Arans latest designs.He was so cute, flitting around the apartment, going between nervous and cocky. Tattoo couldn't help but whisper “cute“ as Aran finished a rant about the restaurant Rose chose, while complimenting the pastries at said Restaurant in the same breath.“Is this funny to you?” he huffed. The little smile on his face showed he wasn't really annoyed.Shaking his head as he gets up saying “You're gonna do great, baby, bring me back a pastry ya?” striding over to Aran by the door, pulling him in by his waist before giving him a kiss and adjusting his knitted beret.“Mmh thank you” his eyes softened at the touch, see you tonight?”“Mmh” —----------------“Tattoo! You’re free Friday night right? There’s an event at the temple, help me out?” Hoy asks with an exaggerated pout, as they laze around waiting for the first coat of paint to dry on bookcases they built the week before.Rolling his eyes as the theatrics Tattoo responds with “I don't know, I have to ask Aran, he keeps talking about this new drama and I think it comes out on Fridays..”He continues painting the last shelf on his bookshelf until he notices the silence in the room.Looking up he sees 3 pairs of eyes on him. Jack is smirking in a way Tattoo really doesn't appreciate, Joke is trying his best not to laugh, and Hoy looks like his brain can't comprehend what he’s hearing.“What?” suddenly feeling defensive.Joke recovers first, clearing his throat “You and Aran are spending a lot of time together lately, we were all surprised, is all.”“How is it surprising that I want to spend time with my boyfriend? You and Jack are practically inseparable now, and we don’t give you guys shit for it!”“No, we definitely give them shit.” Hoy mumbles before registering the first part of that sentence.“WHAT?” was yelled in unison this time which would be impressive if it didn't make Tattoo even more confused.“What do you mean ‘What?”It's chaos.“What do you mean he’s your boyfriend?”
“How long have you been dating? When did this happen??”
“HOW COULD YOU NOT TELL ME? I'M YOUR BEST FRIEND?!”
“I thought I was his best friend?”So, they might have forgotten to tell their friends they were dating. This.. was an oversight. It just happened so naturally they didn't think they had to? It was pretty obvious right? They had been spending more time in the apartment recently when he wasn't working anyway..Shit.“Ok.. ok one at a time, fuck, uh so, yes, me and Aran are dating. Made it official 3 weeks ago.” He says with a little wince, he really didn't intend to keep it from then, it just slipped his mind to make an announcement?
“Uh, it just kind of happened, I'm sorry if this is a shock. And Hoy you and Jack are both my best friends, it's not a competition,we've talked about this.”He holds his breath for a second, praying they’ll all be cool about this. Even if they are a little shocked at first.Tattoo zeroes in on Jack’s face, cause why does he look like he’s about to laugh?“Buddy I love ya. But nobody is shocked that you love Aran, we--”“Ok I never said love” He does love him, but it is way too soon to voice that out loud. He doesn't want to rush this. He needs to do it right.“Ha, ok we aren't shocked you LIKE Aran, We're shocked you both got your heads out of your asses and did something about it!”“Exactly man, which one of you confessed first? Was it on a Wednesday or... Thursday? , ” Joke asks before Jack punches him in the arm with a glare.“....YOU GUYS BET MONEY ON ME?!”“Hey of course not!" Hoy says indignantly, "I had all my money on Aran making the first move!” Like that justifies it. Then he turns around getting back to his bookshelf, clearly having lost interest in the conversation.“So..which one of you–”“Oh my god , nope , no, I'm leaving. You guys are the worst, paint bookshelves without me!”He grabs his bag and storms out, huffing out an exasperating laugh, cause what else could he really expect?
Then he hears a surprisingly sincere “we’re happy for you man. Really.” from Jack .He doesn't turn around but he gives them a little wave before leaving the auditorium. —--------------------------He gets home 20 minutes later, not expecting Aran back yet but pleasantly surprised to see his boyfriend at their little dining table bobbing his head to music as he scrolls on his phone. A box of what he assumes is fancy pastries across from him.Tattoo feels his shoulders relaxing as soon as he sees him.He drops he bag near the door and then plops down on the couch, head resting on the armrest near Arans chair.After a couple minutes of comfortable silence, he opens one eye to peak at Aran and finds hes already being looked at.Then in a flurry of movement he finds himself with a lapfull of cute boy
Laughing as Aran settles with his legs on either side of his thighs , hands linking behind Tattoos neck, with a little smirk before leaning in to give him a welcome home worthy kiss.They break apart after a while trading soft pecks back and forth“How did it go?”Peck.“Mmm good, she wound up bringing my ex which was annoying but, he didn't bug us too much so it went well, she agreed to the full amount and everything!”Peck.Ex. Ex?Obviously Tattoo knew that Aran could have dated in the past but he couldn't help but be curious. A tight feeling in his chest appears when he imagines Aran with another man doing what they're doing right now.Aran noticing Tattoo zoning out underneath him. Doesn't take long to catch on to his boyfriend's thought process.“ Hey, his family owns the venue the show is gonna be at”, grabbing tattoos chin so he would look him in the eye “that's the only reason he was there. He brought the contract for Rose to sign, that's it.”“Mmh”“baby “ Aran says voice like liquid honey , “tell me what you're thinking? “Signing he mumbles “ I'm not jealous.”Aran finds that very funny cause he coos at him and just says “okay “Tattoo holds his boyfriend even tighter in his arms ,before asking simply “you don't love him anymore right? “He didn't even know he was worried about that until he said it out loud.Aran just grew up so incredibly differently than he did. Which isn't new information obviously, but sometimes he wonders if he can give Aran all the things he deserves to have. If his ex was showing him safety and love in the midst of his horrible fathers neglect then he doesn't see how he can compete with that, if they met and reconnected at this lunch, if..“ Tattoo.” Aran says sternly, breaking him out of his spiraling thoughts “I never loved him at all, you have nothing to worry about, our relationship..was out of convenience. There wasn't anything happy or warm about it. There was nothing– it was nothing like what we have.”Aran’s getting agitated, and hes frustrated he can't find the words to express what he’s trying to say.The fact that Tattoo can even recognize that that's what's happening soothes something in him, he knows him, he knows him better than anyone these days."hey, I'm sorry.” he says kissing his soft checks, petting the hair on the nape of his neck, “it's not that I don't trust you! I just--I just got-” Grown ups use their words just say it, he thinks “ I got insecure for a second, I’m.. I'm new to this. All of this, Your life is so different than it was when you knew him last, I can't give you everything he could. I just got in my head. I'm sorry.” “You're an idiot.” Aran says dropping his forehead to Tattoos shoulder in exasperationHuffing out a laugh Tattoo rubs Arans back and says mindlessly “ I'm new to being in love I’ll get better at it I promise. “ chuckling some more, Aran starts kissing his neck, giggling a little as the tension dissipates from the room.He brings his head up to look at him with the fondest expression Tattoo has ever seen directed toward himself.“Wait, you love me?” “I–”Ok so much for his plan of taking it slow. Who tells someone they love them after 3 weeks of dating? He had one job!!!!“No…?”“Yes you do!” Aran says laughing with a giant smile taking over his face“Ok fine, I love you. Happy? Are you gonna fight me about it?”The soft eyes are back.And the little head shake he got in responseSaid everything he needs to know.Well that and Aran pulling him in for the most intense kiss of his life.That helped too. In bed, catching their breathe , with sweat cooling on their bodies, Aran rolls over to look at him, hair a mess, skin flushed looking blissed out in the best way, he leans in an inch from his lips to whisper“I’m new at being in love too, you know.” End