"It doesn't sound like very much fun to me."
"You're not much fun, you know that?"
Xephos crossed his arms, mildly offended by his friend's accusation. His knees were folded up to his chest, his friend sitting across from him at the head of the only available bed. This map, evidently, was not made for two players. And since neither could sleep without the other, they had to find something to do.
Xephos's pout dissolved into a smile, and he let slip a laugh. "I just feel like it's going to end in disaster."
"Give me one good reason we shouldn't play."
"Tumblr will never forget it."
"That's a reason for it, you idiot." Honeydew scooted forward on the bed, cupping his chin in his hands and peering expectantly up at his tall friend. "It'll pass the time."
Xephos's eyes searched the dwarf's begging face before they fluttered closed in defeat, a sigh leaving his lips so it wouldn't have to be there when he embarrassed himself. "Okay, fine. This is a terrible idea."
Honeydew grinned and shifted as if preparing himself. "All right," he decided, lifting a hand to the spaceman's knee. "You nervous yet?" he inquired, raising an eyebrow.
"Not… really, no," he admitted, and then erupted into incredulous laughter. "Simon, this is-"
"Shh, shut up." His hand moved up, and he tapped his fingers in a bored rhythm on Xephos's thigh. "How about now?"
"No."
A little higher. Xephos could see Honeydew's face getting more amused as the game went on. The impatient drumbeat fell right below his waist. "Now?"
Xephos swallowed before replying, "No."
Hed've probably been fine if Honeydew hadn't spent the next step toying with the hem of his striped shirt, his fingers against the skin just above his belt. That look on his face didn't help. "What about now?"
Xephos took a second to construct the sentence in his head before he spoke it. "I- no. Not yet."
The satisfaction was evident on Honeydew's face. Xephos felt his own face heat up. He wasn't sure if it was out of embarrassment or something else entirely.
With that Honeydew moved again, methodically lifting his shirt with one hand, just enough so his fingertips ghosted over his stomach, and placing the other on his now bare waist. "What about now, big tough spaceman?" He lowered his voice, in volume and in pitch. "Not nervous now, are we?"
Xephos felt his breath hitch. It was also audible, which forced a regretful clench of his jaw and knotting of his eyebrows. His words fell away with his focus. All he could see was the dwarf's wandering hands. He opened his mouth, and no sound came out, as if he didn't trust his voice to make the right noises. Finally he managed "N…No."
"Well that's the biggest lie you've ever told, but if you say so," Honeydew pointed. The hand at Xephos's waist began to tug at his belt, and the one on his stomach traced lazy, slow circles, dipping lower each revolution. Furiously Xephos wondered how Honeydew wasn't flustered yet. He certainly was. He hadn't realized how far he had leaned back on the bed in that short time, balancing on his hands.
Distantly he heard Honeydew's voice. "Nervous yet?"
Put on the spotlight, grossly underestimating his loss for words, Xephos became hyper-aware of everything he did in that silence. His half-lidded eyes, parted lips, how he felt like he was melting under Honeydew's hands. He swallowed and the sound exploded in his ears. His tongue felt like lead. "No," he said, albeit under his breath. It sounded like the dying flicker of a burnt light.
This was Honeydew's damn plan all along, wasn't it? Smug bastard.
Honeydew took the silence and stuffed it full of the clashing blooms of emotion in Xephos's stomach as their lips connected. Slowly Xephos took his hands out from behind his back, removing his supports so he could fall backwards, letting Honeydew come down on top of him as he used his now free hands to pull his head closer and deepen the kiss.
They'd likely never be bored again.
