Louder than bells
They are so wrapped up into each other it is not even funny. But of course what they feel is so big, so new, so special that it can't be kept behind the closed doors and whatever they are doing there. They need more, need it constantly: hints, proofs, reminders of their intimacy.
It can be annoying sometimes; sure thing it annoys Dean. Then he shrugs and tells himself there are worse things than watching your two friends being unable to hide their obsession and not even trying. He only hopes it is not that obvious for others; but likely it is. Roman and Seth are too loud in everything they do.
They steal those little touches in the plain view of everyone, like it will kill them to stay away from each other for twenty minutes during the show. They mirror each other's motions as if communicating through body language even when they can't exchange words. And they make a point of repeating each other's actions, whether it is photographing the same urban landscape or falling in the ring. They are torn between the need to keep their affair secret and the wish to declare it to the whole world. So, they are testing boundaries, checking how risky, how revealing they can be.
They are wearing their love like a secret sign, a token that everyone can see but no one understands. Or this is what they think.
Europe affects them in the worst way. Too far from home, too much freedom. It's as if being on another continent puts them in another world, where rules are almost non-existent. And everything goes over the top. Dean thinks he probably has never seen them happier. And they probably have never been more careless and more audacious. Two fools.
Their touches are clearly excessive as they help each other with the gear. Their fingers whisper, admire, promise, and Dean who has to witness it, suddenly thinks that Seth possibly knows every element of Roman's tattoo by heart, traced them hundreds times. He doesn't welcome this thought. But they are like that all the time. Roman reaching for Seth's smartphone to see what song is playing becomes an adventure as he lingers, wanders, as if unable to find the gadget without bumping hands with Seth for a ridiculous amount of time. Or the way Roman slowly, deliberately picks the water bottle Seth's been drinking from and drinks from it, and Dean wants to laugh: "Indirect kiss? What are you, teenagers?"
Sometimes Dean wonders how it all will end. Will they overstep one day and do something so stark it will be impossible to deny? And then the company will hardly be as understanding and supportive as with Darren Young. Or will they burn out, because the fire is so intense now - and go back to their lives, their girlfriends, back to normalcy? Both things seem somewhat bitter but life usually is.
And then Dean wonders if he just wants it to end sooner, not for their sake but for his. They are his friends and he loves them but he is tired of watching their private moments and tired of worrying about their cozy little world exploding in their faces.
They are on their flight home, finally. The plane is silent; almost everyone asleep and those who aren't seem too beat to make conversation. Roman and Seth are across the aisle from Dean, in one of the last rows. Seth has pulled his hoody over his eyes, only dark and bleached feathers of his hair stick out. He looks cold, clumsy and painfully uncomfortable and as he wiggles trying to settle in, the hoody slips down. Dean sees Roman pick it up and tuck Seth in patiently. Seth mutters something and nods off again.
Roman looks at him and smiles. It's such an unguarded expression – a rare one for Roman. A proud, quiet smile full of immense warmth. As if he's listening to a beautiful music inside him.
Dean doesn't know if anyone has ever looked at him with such a smile. He doesn't even know if he would like someone to. But for some reason this smile tears his heart.