There's a tension to the quiet in the apartment that Javier isn't used to, and when he walks back into the bedroom, Kevin's stretched out sideways on top of the bed, his legs dangling over the side. His good suit jacket is hanging from the door handle and his tie and collar are undone, but he's still wearing his dress shoes and there's a troubling light in his eyes as he looks at the small, plastic bottle he's rolling between his palms. Something about him feels off, and Javier thought he knew all of his moods by now, but he can't quite pinpoint this one. He eyes Kevin as he sits down next to him and toes off his shoes.

"How was the wedding?" The words are light, almost flippant, but Kevin's face creases with some internal pain and he squeezes his eyes shut. "Hey," Javier says quickly, scooting further up on the bed so that he can smooth the furrows in Kevin's brow with his fingers. "Hey, it's okay. Whatever it is, it's going to be fine."

Kevin throws the plastic bottle at him, but there's no force behind the throw and it doesn't hurt when it bounces off of his cheek. Javier plucks it off of the comforter where it fell and pops the top off. Bubbles. Kevin wriggles around until his head is in Javier's lap, and Javier balances the bottle on his knee and strokes Kevin's hair. He fingers the top for a moment before pulling out the wand, tapping it on the opening so it won't drip, and carefully blowing a stream of bubbles. They catch the late afternoon light that's coming in through the window and Javier admires all of the colors caught in the fragile spheres. After a few minutes, Kevin turns his head so that Javier's hand grazes his temple and absently swats at a bubble that's drifted just a little too closely to his face.

"We're never going to be allowed to have that. Doesn't that bother you?" Kevin's voice sounds so tired it's almost hoarse, and Javier's heart clenches in response.

"You don't know that. Things could change-"

"That much? That quickly?" The look Kevin gives him is halfway between incredulous and angry, but he doesn't pull away. "Don't pretend. I just spent the entire day smiling and nodding while my mom said all of that. If I have to listen to the same crap coming from you, I'm going to scream or shoot something."

Javier makes a soft noise in his throat and curls his hand over the curve of Kevin's neck, gently kneading at the tension there, and blows bubble after bubble until it's like they're surrounded by a glistening cloud.


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Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me.

Written as part of the daily drabble exercise I do over on my LJ. Answers the prompt "I want bubble blowing. And, NO, that is not a euphemism. I want actual bubble blowing in bed-one person upset/depressed, the other trying to cheer him up."