Popcorn and Post-It Notes

by No1fan15

Yamcha didn't expect anyone to respond to his sticky-notes-to-the-window method of announcing a movie night. Much less a cute guy with a shared interest in martial arts. Although the more he looks at his new friend the more familiar he seems... well, nothing like a B-movie from decades ago your roommate picked out to embarrass you and slightly burnt popcorn to jog ones memory.

"What the hell are you doing with the post-it notes?"

Yamcha looked behind him to see his roommate Puar standing nearby with crossed arms and a glare. He held up one of the tiny papers and grinned.

"I'm making friends." he stated.

"And how does covering our dorm window with post-it notes get you friends?" Puar asked.

"Take a look for yourself." Yamcha said, leaning out of the way. He pointed at the notes that currently read "Movie night, 9:00". He gave Puar his best endearing smile. "I'll let you pick the movie."

"I have a class tonight. I will take you up on your offer if only to embarrass you." Puar said. They walked up to the window and their eyes widened. "Hey, you're getting a response!"

"I am!?" Yamcha exclaimed. A quick glance to the dormitory across from theirs confirmed Puar's statement. Someone was using their own post-it notes write out a reply.

"What movie?"

Yamcha laughed and started re-arranging the notes.

"Come and find out"

"Are you flirting?!" Puar said in disbelief. Yamcha shrugged.

"It couldn't hurt to try. You never know." he said. Puar smirked and added a winking face with some extra post-it notes. After a few minutes the other student responded.

" :( Popcorn?"

":c no"

"I'll buy some"

":) yay"

"What room?"

"7-B"

"See you at 9 then"

"Can't wait"

"As much as I'd like to stay and witness this miracle I have a lecture to get ready for." Puar said.

"Don't forget to pick out the movie before you leave." Yamcha reminded them.

"I won't forget, trust me." Puar assured him before walking to their room. Yamcha began the process of taking the post-it notes off the window. He felt filled with an odd sense of pride. His plan worked. This was a great idea.

8:30 that night...

This was a horrible idea.

His earlier bravado had worn off and what was left of Yamcha was an anxious mess. He hadn't even looked at the movie Puar picked out yet. Instead he was pacing back and forth in front of the couch going over possible ways to cancel the evenings plans. He had a half hour to wait but he wasn't sure if he would make it. His heart was beating way to fast and he was a little lightheaded. Why did he do this? His panic was interrupted by a knock at the door. He collected himself and went to answer it. When he opened the door he found himself face to face with another man about his height. He was wearing sweatpants, sneakers, and a hoodie with the college name across it. A beanie covered his head but even so it was obvious he was bald underneath it. He was holding a small plastic bag with the logo of a local convenience store on it and had a worried expression.

"Hi. Can I help you?" Yamcha asked. The man held up the bag and smiled nervously.

"I got the popcorn." he said. "This is 7-B right?"

"Oh! Right! Come on in!" Yamcha said. He moved to the side to let his guest enter. "I wasn't expecting you until later."

"I know, I'm way too early. It's a habit. Sorry." the man apologized. He stepped into the front hall and closed the door behind him. He then reached out his free hand. "I'm Tien."

"Name's Yamcha." Yamcha said while shaking his hand. Tien smiled shyly.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Yamcha." he said. Then his brow furrowed slightly. "...Do I know you from somewhere? Your name's familiar... and so is the rest of you now that I think about it..."

"Maybe?" Yamcha said. He had noticed it too. This Tien guy was giving him a sense of deja vu that he couldn't shake. "Perhaps we saw each other at orientation?"

"That might be it. I'm not sure... Anyways, where should I put this?" Tien said as he lifted up the bag of popcorn again.

"Just in the kitchen for now." Yamcha said. He pointed towards it. "I'll get the movie stuff set up before we make it. Don't want it getting cold."

"Good idea." Tien said. He walked into the kitchen and Yamcha quickly moved over to the couch area. Hopefully re-arranging the pillows would distract him. He hadn't expected a man to show up. He definitely hadn't expected to find said man attractive yet here he was. Yamcha knew he liked women and men but he hadn't felt the full brunt of infatuation like this in a long time. Considering he was about to spend at least an hour sitting next to the guy it wasn't an encouraging sign. After minimal furniture shifting Yamcha decided to see what movie Puar had picked. Maybe it was one of the nostalgic kid flicks that covered most of their movie shelf. He should have known he'd have no such luck.

"Crossed Blade Lovers? Seriously?" Yamcha whispered to himself in disbelief. Of all the films available Puar picked that one. The one with the cheesy B-Movie action shlock. The one with the horrid martial arts choreography. The one with the worst sex scenes ever put to film. Gay ones at that. It was the worst choice possible for a first impression. He honestly shouldn't be surprised.

"Is that the movie?"

Yamcha jumped slightly as Tien walked up behind him. He hadn't noticed him approach. He tried to come up with an explanation, an excuse, for the movie he was holding but before he could voice any sort of warning Tien continued.

"Martial arts? I haven't seen one of those ones in a while." he said.

"You're, uh, a fan of the genre?" Yamcha asked nervously. He hoped Tien didn't recognize the thing.

"More so of the practice itself but I've seen a few." Tien said. "I've been meaning to watch more."

"Trust me, there's better ones out there." Yamcha said. "This one's, uh..."

"Corny?" Tien suggested.

"More like just straight up bad." Yamcha said. "I'll be honest, my roommate picked it out. I, uh, lost a bet."

"All the more reason to watch it." Tien said. He smiled and Yamcha hoped his blush wasn't visible. Damn this adorable man. "If your roommate chose it then you should stay true to your word."

"I suppose so." Yamcha said. "Don't say I didn't warn you."

"I'll accept the challenge." Tien said. "Should I get the popcorn started?"

"Yeah, go ahead. I'll take care of this." Yamcha said and waved the movie about. Dammit. He looked like a complete dork. Thankfully Tien found it more endearing than weird and he left for the kitchen again. Yamcha sighed and knelt next to the DVD player. This was going to be a long night.

He had barely finished fast forwarding through the previews when he smelt something wafting his way. Popcorn. No doubt delicious and... burned? A hint of smoke was unmistakable and Yamcha quickly made his way into the kitchen. He found Tien standing sheepishly next to the stove. He held up a pot of popcorn and smiled nervously.

"I've, uh, never really made popcorn before." he admitted. "It's a little burned."

"Nothing I can't handle. Don't worry about it." Yamcha assured him. Tien smiled a little more and placed the pot back down.

"How about you go wait on the couch and I'll get this stuff ready?" Yamcha said. Tien gave him a quick nod and left the room. Yamcha busied himself preparing the popcorn. He dumped all of it into the biggest bowl he owned and tossed some salt on top. Maybe it could salvage a bit of the taste. If not then at least it would distract him from the man he'd be seated next to. The longer Tien was in the dorm the more things Yamcha found attractive about him. Even his face when he burned the popcorn was cute. Yamcha shook his head and grabbed the bowl. There was no use delaying the inevitable.

He walked out into the living room and sat down on the couch. He placed the popcorn bowl between himself and Tien. Any kind of barrier was welcome. Especially on the couch. It only had three seats to start with and both men currently sitting on it took up quite a lot of room. Yamcha grabbed the remote off a nearby side table and clicked play. If he was going to sit through this terrible movie he was going to do it now rather than later. As soon as the first notes of the soundtrack played, a slow and sultry flute, Yamcha immediately regretted going with Puar's movie choice. He'd only made it halfway through the film on his first viewing with Puar and it was still just as bad as he remembered. The stilted acting did the movie no favors as soon as the main cast were introduced. The story was convoluted at best. Two men from rival martial arts schools team up to battle a common enemy and "get to know each other" along the way. Yamcha glanced at Tien to see him staring mildly bewildered at the screen.

"I told you it was bad." he remarked as he grabbed a fistful of popcorn. Tien nodded slowly and didn't take his eyes of the screen.

"This actually got released?" he said with disbelief.

"Not in theaters, that's for sure." Yamcha said with a laugh. "I'm ninety percent sure it was supposed to be a porno and they just added a half-assed story on it to make more money."

"I don't doubt it." Tien said. "The acting quality is bad even by porn standards."

"You think it's bad now?" Yamcha said. "Wait until they start trying to make it sexy."

"It can't be worse than what I'm imagining." Tien said with a grimace. The two continued to share popcorn and riff on the film for a while longer. Yamcha started to feel squeamish when the first sex scene showed up. By the time the robes hit the floor he was wishing he could sink into the cushion and never return. Bad porn was already horrible. Having to watch it while next to a cute boy you hoped to make a good impression on? That was worse in so many ways. Adding onto his discomfort was the obvious silence in the room. All that could be heard was the over exaggerated moans from the movie. Yamcha refused to look at Tien. After the scene was over he sighed and hit the pause button.

"I think that's a good stopping point for now." he said. He stood up and stretched. "Do you want a drink?"

"Just some water." Tien said. Yamcha shot him a thumbs up and hurried towards the kitchen.

He filled two glasses and then took a moment to breathe. A scene that bad required recovery time and he knew it was all downhill from here. He jumped slightly when he noticed Tien standing a few feet behind him. He tried to look like he hadn't been shocked and turned to face him. "What's up?"

"We finished the popcorn so I thought I'd bring the bowl in here." Tien said. He placed the dish in the sink. "That was... something."

"It was a lot of things. Corny, poorly shot, badly acted, exaggerated, inaccurate, you name it." Yamcha rambled. He had wanted some more alone time before interacting with Tien again. "It could probably win an award for how awful it was."

"I take it there's more like it in the rest of the movie?" Tien asked warily. A pained look from Yamcha confirmed his suspicions and he groaned. "Great. Can't wait for that."

"We could always just put on a different movie and say we watched it." Yamcha said. Tien seemed to consider it but then shook his head.

"When I took martial arts, which I can do much better than those stuntman by the way, I was taught to never back away from a fight." he said.

"We're not exactly punching the cast, as much as I'd like to, but I get your drift." Yamcha said. Then he thought for a few moments. "You took martial arts?"

"Yeah, for a long time." Tien said. Yamcha felt his mood lift.

"Me too! I was a kid for most of it though." he said. Tien turned to him and grinned.

"Tonight's just full of coincidences." he remarked. "We both took martial arts and that just so happens to be the theme of the film? Well, at least a loose theme."

"Truly, the universe is conspiring to make us both suffer." Yamcha said. "Man, if the old turtle could see me now... he'd probably still be able to kick my ass. If he's alive."

"... turtle?" Tien said. Yamcha shrugged.

"Turtle style dojo. It's what we called our teacher." he said. He frowned slightly when he noticed Tien didn't respond. "... you okay?"

"Turtle school.. and the name... and the hair..." Tien mumbled to himself. Then his head shot up and he snapped his fingers. "Now I remember! We fought at the world tournament! Tenshinhan, Crane school?"

"That's it!" Yamcha exclaimed as his own memory clicked into place. He laughed as the recognition finally became clear. "You were the one that broke my leg!"

"... yup, that's me." Tien said awkwardly.

"C'mon, that was years ago. Besides I forgave you." Yamcha said. He held a fist up to Tien's chest with a wide grin. "Eternal rivals, right?"

"Until the end of time, turtle trash." Tien replied with a smirk as he returned the gesture. Yamcha laughed again and punched his shoulder playfully.

"You're on, Crane bastard." he retorted. "Man, I remember that third eye they put on you. That was a riot."

"... you remember that?" Tien asked with sudden quietness. Yamcha felt like something was off but he continued.

"Yeah. Was that marker or a temporary tattoo? I didn't see it fade the whole day." he said. Tien raised a hand up and fiddled with the edge of his hat.

"It, uh, wasn't exactly temporary..." he mumbled. Before Yamcha could ask anything else Tien took his beanie off. Right where Yamcha recalled it being placed was a drawing of a third eye. It was a few simple black lines but the fact that it hadn't changed in the years since clarified what Tien meant.

"... it's a real tattoo?" Yamcha asked despite knowing the answer. Tien averted his eyes and shifted his weight.

"I didn't have a choice about it back then. My teachers told me it was how they distinguished their best students. It was a few years before I realized it was... wrong." he said.

"Wrong? It's fucked up, that's what it is! Forcing a kid to get a permanent tattoo!?" Yamcha said. "What did you do about it?"

"... they got arrested eventually. They were my only guardians so afterwards I was put into foster care. Then I aged out of the system and saved up enough money to come here." Tien explained. An uncomfortable silence fell over the room.

"... sorry for bringing it up." Yamcha said. "At least the tattoo itself looks cool."

"Don't worry about it. And, uh, you think so?" Tien said. A small smile was working its way back into his face.

"Yeah! I've never seen one like it and you make it work." Yamcha assured him. He handed Tien one of the glasses and started walking back to the couch. "Now, if we're gonna finish that thing we should probably keep going."

"Right. Never surrender." Tien said as he joined him.

The next half hour or so of the movie was much more tolerable. The acting hadn't improved in the slightest but it was a lot easier to watch when you had someone with you to make fun of it. Yamcha realized a few things over those thirty minutes. First of all was the fact that he recognized one of the background extras from his old baseball team. Secondly was that he was certain the martial arts being used were stolen from a famous dojo. Last but not least in the slightest was the undeniable warmth he felt in his chest every time Tien smiled. Yamcha wasn't sure if the reveal of their shared past made this more or less awkward. What he did know was that he was happy. Much happier then he had been in a while. Maybe it was friendship. Maybe it was more. He couldn't tell.

"I'd say there should be a drinking game for every time you see the wires but I'm pretty sure that would cause death in under an hour." Yamcha remarked as yet another sub par fight scene played put.

"Might be easier then watching the whole thing." Tien said.

"You have a point. Alas, however, I'd like to live my life without the alcohol poisoning." Yamcha said. Tien chuckled and Yamcha felt his face heat up for yet another time that night. Damn this beautiful man and his adorable laugh. Things continued in a similar manner right up until the end of the film.

"Oh, come on! We don't need to watch them fucking again. Just roll the credits!" Yamcha complained.

"It's the final test of your patience." Tien said.

"They can make me watch their awful sex scene but they can't stop me from criticizing it. The things that are wrong here, in this exact order, as as follows; There's no prep whatsoever. Things will be messy and painful. The complete lack of lube adds to that particular problem. Without lube you are rarely getting an enjoyable experience. There's almost no foreplay whatsoever. No one goes from regular to ready that fast. The biggest problem in general is the lack of clear consent but the entire movie has that issue. In conclusion it's all horrible and looks cheap as hell." Yamcha ranted. He sighed and turned towards Tien. "Anything you'd like the add?"

"Not really. I think you got everything." Tien said. He looked away as his cheeks tinged pink. "I don't have any... experience, with this kind of stuff, so you're the expert here."

"Are you kidding me?" Yamcha said in disbelief. "A guy like you? I mean if you're asexual or something I get it, no offense. Or if, y'know, you just don't want to do stuff like that it's your choice."

"No, it's nothing like that. Thanks for considering it though. I just..." Tien said. He leaned back into the couch and stared at the ceiling. "I haven't had a boyfriend at all and I wouldn't know what to do with him if I did. Of course, I know some things but when it comes to a partner..."

"I get it, man. It can be scary to ask." Yamcha said. He felt a bit odd about how easily the conversation had shifted to such a topic but it seemed like Tien needed to vent, or at least talk about it. Yamcha attempted a laugh and a smile that he hoped looked relatable. "I've never had a boyfriend either so we're kinda in the same boat on that one."

"Hell, the most I've ever done is hold hands with someone." Tien said. He had a small grin of his own but it felt bittersweet. "I doubt anyone would want to be with me anyways."

"See, that's the part I have trouble believing." Yamcha said. "Just look at you. You're strong, polite, funny, handsome, pretty much everything someone would want in a boyfriend."

"You think so?" Tien asked shyly. Yamcha realized he was acting much friendlier then he should have been for talking to someone he'd just met that day, despite their childhood rivalry, and looked away red-faced.

"Sure, why wouldn't I?" he said.

"There's the middle-of-the-forehead tattoo for one." Tien mumbled. Yamcha noticed Tien raising a hand up to his face and covering the marking. "I know you said it was cool but I doubt anyone would want to see it every day."

"If they love you for you then it doesn't matter, right?" Yamcha said. He shifted on the couch so he could face Tien properly. "It doesn't make you less of a person."

"But -"

"Don't you "but" me, crane bastard. You should be proud. It's part of who you are. It makes you unique." Yamcha said. A quiet rage had sparked in him when Tien first mentioned the tattoo being a source of shame and now he was almost agressively reassuring his new friend of his worth. He sighed, frustrated, and gently moved Tien's hand away from his head. Before his sense of self control or better judgment could stop him Yamcha had leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss right on top of the tattoo.

When he leaned back the impact of the action hit him. He tried to say something but no words would come out. He was getting light headed. His heartbeat had skipped medium speed and gone right to marathon pace. Tien bore a shocked expression that Yamcha was sure he was mirroring.

"I... uh..." Yamcha croaked out weakly. He'd fucked up. He'd fucked up so bad. They'd even finished the movie for gods sake why did he have to slip up now? A huge sense of panic washed over him and he started to get up. He stopped dead in his tracks when Tien suddenly grabbed his wrist.

"... what did you mean? By doing that?" Tien asked quietly. "Was... was it pity?"

"What? No, no, it wasn't, I..." Yamcha stammered. He sat back down and placed his free hand over Tiens. "I... think you're really hot, okay? And you're so nice and everything I said earlier... I'm sorry, I didn't want to ruin tonight with my stupid feelings."

"They're not stupid." Tien said quickly. He rearranged his hands to hold Yamcha's properly. "I've been feeling the same sort of stuff since I got here. I hadn't planned to say anything about it... but if you're not upset..."

"I'm far from upset." Yamcha said with a small laugh. The previous tightness in his chest had gone away. Things had turned around so fast he was almost dizzy. He smiled with a giddy excitement he hadn't felt in years. "If you'd allow me to, I'd love to kiss you properly."

"Please do." Tien said. The shy smile he bore only added to the affection Yamcha felt in that moment. Once again he leaned forwards and this time he softly pressed his lips again Tien's. It was only for a few seconds but going by the look on Tien's face when it ended one would have thought it had been much longer.

"Not that bad, right?" Yamcha said. Tien laughed quietly.

"Much better than everything else I've seen tonight." he said. Yamcha rolled his eyes and put his arms around Tien's neck.

"Feel like another taste?" he said. Tien kept his smile even with the pink in his skin turning to red.

"If you're willing to give me one." he said.

"I don't see why not." Yamcha said as he pulled himself in for another kiss. Despite his multiple claims of inexperience Tien wasn't a bad kisser. He was definitely shy, following Yamcha's lead on what to do, but he was focused. As the credits rolled on the TV screen the two continued their gentle kisses. Anytime Yamcha wanted to do a bit more, go a bit further, he'd ask. So far Tien had agreed with everything Yamcha suggested.

By the time the movie was completely over and the VCR clicked Yamcha found himself in the middle of a rather passionate make out session. Tien had adjusted himself prior to be partly lying down on the couch and Yamcha straddled his lap. Yamcha had honestly expected for Tien to stop things by now but he was glad he didn't. It had been a long time since he'd last been with someone. As he pulled away from their most recent embrace one of Tien's hands tugged on his hair. It probably hadn't been intentional and neither was the noise Yamcha made in response yet there they were none the less.

"Are you okay?" Tien asked. "I didn't hurt you?"

"Does it sound like you did?" Yamcha remarked. They both were as red as could be by this point. "I'm fine. Sorry for... whatever that was. If you don't want to do more than this it's fine by me."

"It's alright, no need to be sorry." Tien said. "I'm up for more if you are."

"... How much more? I wanna make sure I don't cross any lines or make you uncomfortable." Yamcha said. Tien looked away and mumbled something. "Uh, could you repeat that?"

"I... it's embarrassing to say out loud... and I've only known you for a few hours... I can't just..." Tien rambled nervously.

"Dude, I am literally right on top of you right now, for one. And we've known each other for years, remember?" Yamcha said. "I promise. Whatever your answer is I'll respect it."

"Okay... just... can you come closer? I'd still rather whisper..." Tien said. Yamcha smiled and leaned in.

"Do whatever you need to. I just need to know what you want." he assured Tien quietly. Tien took a deep breath and began to whisper.

"I want... to go all the way... I want you." he said. Yamcha felt a shiver go down his spine. He dipped his head down and started to kiss Tien's neck.

"It seems we want the same thing." he mumbled. His efforts earned him a moan. "If you're sure this is what you want to do then I'll be happy to oblige you."

"Mmmnn. Please." Tien said quietly. Yamcha smiled and pulled away for a moment to kiss Tien's tattoo again. It looked like his plan had worked out pretty well after all.

The next morning...

"WAKE UP, SLEEPYHEAD!"

Yamcha snapped awake and sat up abruptly. He rubbed at his eyes and scanned the room. Puar was standing next to his bed and snickering.

"Puar, the fuck?" he grumbled sleepily. His roommate had woken him up in the past by shouting for sure but rarely did they laugh at him. The mattress shifted as someone else woke up.

"What the hell's going on?" said Tien with a yawn. Puar burst out into full laughter and left the room with a final exclamation of "Congrats!" Yamcha stretched and flopped back onto the bed.

"Puar's being an ass. Sorry." he mumbled. Tien murmured something and covered himself in the blanket again. Yamcha rolled onto his side and lifted the edge of the blanket. "How're you feeling?"

"Besides tired?" Tien said sarcastically. He smiled anyways and scooched his way closer to Yamcha's side. "Better then I have in a long time."

"M' glad to hear it." Yamcha said. He wrapped his arms around Tien and returned the grin. "Can you stay for a while?"

"Sure. I don't have any classes until noon." Tien said. Then he scowled and pulled himself away. "Wait. My roommate."

"Did you tell them where you were going when you left?" Yamcha asked. Tien reluctantly sat up.

"I did. He expected me back by midnight and it's... seven." he said with a glance towards the wall clock. "I should call him before he thinks I've been murdered or something."

"Good call." Yamcha said. He slid out of bed and wandered over to his dresser to grab a shirt as Tien put his clothes back on. He heard Tien get on his cellphone and decided to leave him be for a while. He headed into the kitchen to grab some food only to be greeted by a smug looking Puar sitting at the table.

"Well, hello there, stud. Have a good night?" they said with a raised eyebrow. Yamcha rolled his eyes and searched through the cupboards for a bowl.

"I think you already know the answer to that." he said as he selected a cereal box. Puar whined.

"I know, buuuttt... I want details!" they said. "Did my movie choice help?"

"First of all, fuck you." Yamcha started as he made his breakfast. "Crossed Blade Lovers is the worst one you could have picked."

"Yeah, I'm aware. Did it help though?" Puar said.

"Would you believe me if I said yes?" Yamcha said. He sat down and began eating as Puar laughed some more.

"Seriously?! How?" they said.

"Lots of martial arts to critique that lead to the reveal of the shared past between us." Yamcha said. He pointed his spoon at Puar. "A story that you don't get to hear until I'm done eating."

"I'll keep it in mind." Puar said. They leaned in, excitement sparking in their eyes. "So, who is he?"

"His name's Tien. That's all you need to know." Yamcha said. Puar pouted.

"C'mon Yamcha, don't be like that. Is this because of the wake up call?" they said.

"Could be." Yamcha mumbled through a mouthful of cereal. Puar sighed and stood up.

"Fine. Don't tell me anything." they said. Tien walked into the room, now fully dressed, and ended his phone call.

"Well I'm never going to hear the end of this." he said. "I should get back to my room. There's only so much yelling at me that can be done over the phone."

"If you ever feel like watching more movies from hell feel free to drop by." Yamcha said.

"Get his number!" Puar said as they left the room. Yamcha and Tien both blushed faintly.

"They seem... nice." Tien commented. Yamcha sighed and stood up.

"You get used to them eventually." he said. "They do have a point. Texting is a better basis for organizing things then post-it notes."

"Agreed." Tien said. He handed his phone to Yamcha. "Here. I'm... not quite sure how to add a contact."

"I'm gonna have to teach you everything, aren't I?" Yamcha teased. He entered his number and handed the phone back. "If you're not busy later do you want to hang out?"

"Of course. I don't have much else to do." Tien said. Yamcha followed him out into the front hallway. Tien picked up his hat and stuck out a hand. "It was a pleasure meeting you."

"Anytime you want more "pleasure" make sure to let me know." Yamcha said with a smirk. He shook hands and before letting go he pulled Tien in for a quick kiss. "See ya around, crane bastard."

"Same to you, turtle trash." Tien replied. He smiled and gave a quick wave as he left. As soon as the door was shut Yamcha knew Puar was standing behind him.

"So... that story?" they asked. Yamcha sighed and headed back into the kitchen. He was never going to hear the end of this.