Toby, Johnny and Orlando were drinking at the bar for the first time after Vincent's wedding, Vincent's absence was a relief because for the first time in a while, they can finally talk about anything other than Vincent's love life.
"So he actually did it huh, our little Vincent fina-"
"Man, how come you guys never told me about Erica?" Toby said in agony, interrupting Orlando.
Orlando smirked "Why would we? She should be the one telling you if she wanted to, besides- it's not like we knew it was something that would concern you."
"You guys are mean." Toby frowned.
"Why would it make a difference though? She's still the same person, you were attracted to her and you still are." Johnny declared, trying to defend Erica in her absence, and also secretly anticipating Toby's reply.
"I mean.. of course I am, she's stunning, but I felt betrayed you know? Like, if I knew that gender is not a barrier anymore, or like, I could choose anyone-" Toby noticed Orlando's eyebrows raising halfway through.
"No- wait, I mean, if I get to sleep with anyone without considering their gender or sexual orientation, I'd have picked someone else."
"Someone else?" asked Orlando with his eyebrows still risen.
"Come on Toby, aren't you overthinking it?" Johnny added.
"No no, guys listen, if someone told you, forget about gender, like forget about your 'own' gender for a second, don't you think you'd look at people differently?"
Orlando and Johnny looked at each for a second before looking back at Toby.
"Are you saying if we look at people as souls and not just bodies, or if we were women and we get to choose our 'ideal' man." asked Orlando as he was scratching his chin.
Toby paused for a second because he himself was confused.
"Yeah, the soul thing, and the woman thing too- both!"
"Well, all the guys that I know are assholes so even if I were a woman I wouldn't wanna be with any of them." replied the blond before he took a sip of his bear .
"But that's not the case for you, right?" Orlando added as he winked at Toby.
Toby looked confused before Orlando continued.
"What was it? 'if I were a girl I'd be all over chief'-"
"H-hey!" Toby's face turned red as he heard back his own words, and he slowly turned to his side to see Johnny scratching his cheek.
"Stop it Orlando, don't bully the kid."
"I'm not bullying him, I'm just entertaining his subject by sharing back his own words."
Toby buried his face in the table, unable to face his boss.
There were an awkwardness in the air, Johnny felt sorry for Toby, but also a little bit responsible himself, being the subject of Toby's affection.
He took a sip of his sake, paused, and then said "I'd pick Toby."
Toby flinched and lifted his head to look at Johnny, Orlando almost chocked with his beer, and Johnny did his best to remain as calm as he can.
"Chief, y-you mean it?"
"Man, this is getting weird." Orlando pulled his hat further down as he spoke.
Johnny hesitated before looking at Toby, he wasn't sure he was ready to see his reaction upon hearing his answer, but when he finally did he saw the young blond's eyes lit up with embarrassment and excitement. Johnny couldn't remember the last time a woman looked at him like this.
How adorable.
Although Johnny chose to name Toby to help me feel better, he couldn't deny that he did find him 'adorable' multiple times before, and if he had to answer his question, he would be the only guy he'd pick.
"Who knew that things would get this intense as soon as Vincent left the group." Orlando smirked before he continued. "Oh well, continue drinking and you two might actually hook up."
"Not a chance, I don't hit on my co-workers." Johnny joked.
Toby looked at Johnny, who looked so cool and calm, and although he did say he'd be all over him if he was a girl, he was looking at him, as a guy, and realizing that he still think the same way.
"Y-yeah, that would be awkward." Toby replied in hesitance.
"Enough with the 'theoretical' questions, let's all toast to Vincent's honeymoon. May we all find the happiness that jerk got to miraculously find." Orlando raised his beer, and the two guys followed.
The three guys left the bar and were making their way towards the street.
"Well, I'm going to go ahead and order a cab, you guys wanna join?" Asked Orlando.
"Nah, we're not that drunk so we'll just walk."
"Alright, see you both lovebirds tomorrow."
"yeah yeah, see you tomorrow."
Johnny was walking with Toby following two steps behind.
"Chief, I'm sorry-"
Johnny stopped and turned to face Toby which immediately made Toby anxious.
"I mean, thank you for saying my name, I know you said it to make me feel better." Toby laughed it off as he was scratching the back of his head.
"Well," Johnny took out one cigarette before he continued "it was my honest answer, gender aside, I think I would go for you."
"Chief.." Toby's heart started beating faster, he couldn't tell if he had too much to drink or if Johnny's words were too much for him to handle "when you say it like that.. I-"
"I don't think we should be ashamed of our thoughts, theoretical or not, if we can't answer these kind of questions in all honesty, aren't we lying to ourselves?"
Johnny paused to light his cig before he continued "To be honest, Orlando told me about what you said before.. about being all over me if you were a girl."
"He d-did?!" Toby's cheeks turned red as he heard that, being overwhelmed with embarrassment of the thought that Johnny knew about it all this time.
"I think your honesty is.. courageous. Maybe it was the reason I felt like I should be honest myself." Johnny added as he was blowing his cig, looking at Toby's face through the smoke, and getting a glimpse of those blue eyes.
"Chief.." Toby took a deep breath before he continued "You really are so cool."
The two smiled at each other before they both continued walking, feeling embarrassed with the escalation of the conversation, and a tiny bit of curiosity at the back of their mind.
- fin -