Writing with Writer's Block is harder than I first figured.
Ike blinked in surprise, jaw slightly gaping as he clearly watched the elder squirm in upset and discomfort.
Inside, he felt the need to grin, but by the measurement of how deeply Marth was grieving the situation, his conscience would not allow it. "I...I'm sorry Marth..." He stuttered in a low pitch, arms reluctantly extending to grab at the other male, tugging his body forward, into his own.
As he was pulled to Ike's chest, Marth couldn't help but gasp a little. His hands, flung to his chest with the surprise of the action, became pinned against the stalwart wall of muscle the taller possessed, fingers curling ever so slightly with the shock and curious intentions. Dear Lord, it was as firm as it looked.
"I'm... Sorry." Ike said in an unsure tone, trying his utmost to repress the happiness threatening his tone. "We can get some ice cream? ...Maybe you'd like to mourn over that?"
The elder growled and pushed back from the other's enclosed hold, voice instantly raising into a shout. "No! I will not be treated like a... a girl!" He stepped backward and slumped onto the nearby sofa, folding his arms and looking down into them, speaking in more hushed tone. "...Bring me beer. Liquor. Vodka. What ever you have. I must drown my sorrows... Not hide them under layers of fat."
A brief, startled chuckle escaped Ike, eyebrows risen. Same old Marth, watching his weight. "Well, I can't have you with a pickled liver either." He proceeded to sit beside the sulking heap on his sofa and relax a little, despite the other's misfortune. "That and I haven't been shopping to get any food, much less alcohol."
It was Marth's turn to raise eyebrows this time, gaze remaining fixed on his arms. "Then what about the heap of cans in your recycling?"
"That was me and Link. We had to waste some time whilst you and Roy were..."
Another round of heavy sniffs emitted from the smaller male, his folded hands balling into loose fists, grasping at the cloth covering his arms.
Ike bit his lip, eyes cast downward. "... I – uh – I have to work tonight, but I'll buy you everything you want on my way home, okay?" His eyes lifted once more to check upon Marth's despondent expression, feeling his gullet drop at the single stream of salty water trailing down his cheek to his jaw. He sighed as a slow nod was the only response that the elder could muster, deciding not to ask questions and finding nothing else to do but rub his shoulder with reassurance.
After the shaky confession, Marth found himself at slightly more ease around the foreign apartment. Of course, the bedroom was in a state of slight disarray as Ike quickly took him to the room with the large suitcase in hand, but he didn't expect anything less from the scruffy teen. He was about to question his intentions as the case was placed upon the wide bed with a huff of effort, Ike looking about all his CDs and clothes scattered about the floor.
"Is it alright if you sleep here, Marth?" He questioned without surrendering eye contact, proceeding to collect and stack the square cases over the floor.
Marth himself opened his mouth to speak, but found himself unable to think of anything comprehensible. "I... But..."
"I'll be sleeping on the sofa in the main room, it folds out into a bed, don't worry."
The elder nibbled on his dry lower lip, feeling a twinge of guilt. "But, Ike... It's your home, I should be the one sleeping there..."
"Don't be silly." The flat owner stood with a moderate pile of CDs in each hand, smile over his lips. "You're my friend and a guest, Marth, even I'm not that rude. Oh, and I'll have this place cleared out, hopefully, by the time I leave for work. Just relax and take your mind off of things whilst I'm at it."
Easy for him to say.
Eventually, after watching the younger stack a few towers of varied cases, Marth nodded with another hefty sigh. "Alright. Th-Thank you." Swiftly, he exited the generously sized room with lightly dragging steps, arms remaining crossed with both his hands firmly clamped to each bicep.
He drifted back to main room which both parties had walked from and sat himself back onto the navy, plush sofa. He had decided against trying probe the words Roy had given concerning his reason for them splitting, but his mind wouldn't stop. Every action made over the past weeks, every word exchanged, every phone call the red-head had taken strained his thoughts like an elastic band, edging closer and closer to the point of snapping.
Marth's arms rose from their positions to rest upon his thighs, facing upward for his hands to catch his head.
Hopeless. Absolutely hopeless.
Everyone, even he himself, probably had expected him to be much stronger than this.
As the second oldest from their circle (As Zelda was a month older than he), he was usually the one to be comforting another with a pot of tea and wise words, shouting at Roy as he made many attempts to interfere. He would admit, the absolutely abysmal feeling of being on the other side of that consultation was worse than expected. He would offer such sympathy and comfort to those who sought out his aid, especially during break-ups, but he never knew how deep the tearing pain could reach.
So deep that he had wound up perched upon Ike's severely stained sofa, willing himself to not break into a heavy cry as he did in the desolate space of his old apartment building's corridor.
A few days away from Roy were all he needed, giving him a chance to clear his thoughts and continue on as normal. Marth could function as a single unit. He would function as a single unit.
---
A sound grumble emitted from the muscular bluenette as his arm reached out slightly, accidentally knocking at the foreign suitcase perched upon one corner of his bed. Its contents mostly spilled under the shadow of its landing spot, streaks of blue and white clothing strangely resembling a sea shore against the beige carpets of his home.
Ike grumbled once more and crawled to the spillage, proceeding to right the suitcase onto its back and place the contents inside, no matter how rolled up or creased. Of course, the elder would be mad at him for not taking care of the clothes as he should but that didn't really worry him.
Everything else did.
He didn't mind giving up his bed for Marth, as it would most likely help the elder to see him in a different, more caring light.
Ike stuck out his tongue with a brief 'blegh'.
More like... Roy was.
He groaned and shook his head in a swift motion, grumbling under his breath. Such pursuits should not rear themselves to the front of his mind whilst the one he cared for was in a state of such disarray.
As he continued to repack the suitcase, a bright pink flash caught the corner of his eye and held it fast, persisting to coax him into investigating. He sighed several times before finally surrendering his gaze and attention to the annoyance.
"What... Are these..." Ike spoke quizzically to himself, pulling the item of concern from the suitcase's corner and allowing a small grin to form upon his face as he held them up properly. "Laced boy shorts?"
Quickly, he took a look at the doorway leading to the hall. No peering Marth, nor footsteps to indicate one approaching. His grin widened.
In a surprisingly swift motion, his fingers stretched the elastic waistband out of curiosity and balled them, bringing it up to his nose. Frenziedly, Ike took a long, deep sniff, savouring the freshly washed scent and massaging the material between his fingers – but paused half way.
What the hell was he doing?
The garment was slowly brought back from his face, teeth opting to bite upon his lower lip as a means of shutting himself up.
Did... Did he just sniff Marth's underwear?
In the moment of initial shock, Ike blinked. A strangely eerie smile crept its way up, onto his lips in sheer amusement.
He had.
Such actions should not have brought such delight and rapture to his system, causing a slight adrenaline rush to coarse through his veins. He wouldn't be caught. He couldn't be caught. He internally giggled and brought the garment up to cover his mischievous grin. All felt so settled in the pit of stomach, mind working through the kinks of jealousy.
He could bet that Roy hadn't ever dared do such a thing.
Possibly due to the fact that he was sleeping with the male they belonged to, but that was ignored.
He breathed in, generally rather than another attempt at sniffing the underwear. They seemed possessed a strangely peachy scent, not familiar to the elder's usual air.
He hadn't time to think over the new fact as the phone stuffed into the pocket of his jogging bottoms began to brashly vibrate against his thigh, sending the student out of his trance. Hastily, he delved into the pocket and pulled out the rowdy device, hitting receive with more force than needed before the deep tune could reach beyond the bedroom.
"H-Hello?" Ike answered in a somewhat flustered manner, earning laughter from the other end.
"Hey Ike! It's Mona."
The male felt eternally relieved that his boss wasn't sat in front of him and witnessing the dreading look on his face, eyes flitting between the door threatening to reveal his act and the fancy undergarments in his possession. "H-Hey, boss. What can I do you for?"
"Well technically, it's what you can't do. I won't need you to work tonight, but I'll still pay you as I'm telling you an hour before your shift."
Ike's gaze flicked up to the clock. It was 5pm already? "Wow, thanks Mona. I guess it'll be a good thing as I've got a friend over."
Another – yet much more sinister – laugh was received. "Oh, well, don't be too rough, Ike..."
"Wh-What? No, boss, he isn't-"
"He? Well, if I receive any male customers with a limp, I'll surely know where they've been..."
Ike's cheeks began to burn, the hand not holding his phone raising to rub his temples. The hand still holding Marth's 'alternative' underwear.
"Mona, please... Look, can I order a pizza?"
"Sure Ike! What would you like?"
It was almost amusing how quickly the woman could change her tune if it involved buying pizzas.
"Uhm, I'll have the usual meat feast with extra chicken and a small Hawaiian for my friend."
Another giggle. "Ooh, is he exotic?"
Followed by another groan from the male. "Mona, please... He literally just went through a messy break up."
"Aww, I'm sorry. I am sure that all will be forgotten in a few thru--"
"Price, Mona?"
"Oh, right."
Silence followed the pair with a few tuts of patient waiting and humming.
"You know what, Ikey-Boy?"
He cleared his throat. "Yes?"
"I'll give you them for free! You'll all the energy you can muster to pound that lover boy's pro-"
Promptly, Ike hung up.
He stood from the bed and shoved the mobile device back into his pocket, departing from the almost immaculate room's expanse with a grumble.
"Hey, Marth," The student paused as he walked through the hallway, waiting for some kind of confirmation but resolving he wouldn't receive one. "I ordered us some pizza because I won't be working..."
Ike's head rose to greet the elder, and froze. "Marth?" He questioned with intrigue, spinning on the ball of one foot to look into the kitchen behind him. Noting only cupboards and his concoction, his eyes flicked about the room a second time with an additional frown.
Once again he called out. "M-Marth?" Ike's eyes flicked to the phone in his hand. He did have a thing of being completely distracted whilst talking, but he wasn't in his own abyss. If the melancholy male had entered the bathroom, he would have been able to clearly hear the door wench open as its hinges were extremely squeaky. He promptly stalked from the room and into the adjoining kitchen, bending over to get a good look under the breakfast bar. "Marth?"
Nothing.
It was at that moment his mind rushed into panic.
Ike stood back up properly, rushing into each room of the flat with such a hectic attitude, he almost expected to see a trail of deep crimson staining the cream carpets, leading around to the airing cupboard where, if he'd dare to open to door, he would find Marth laying on floor, bleeding out of his stomach.
All the speculation, however, cast themselves aside as the front door's eerie creaking filled the tense air.
Ike's knitted brow loosened slightly, eyes becoming saddened at the turn of events.
Marth had fled.