Matthew rested his head on his desk and sighed in boredom. "I'm really glad we got everything figured out, but new courses don't start until next term which leaves me basically nothing to do now that I've dropped this term's classes."
Gilbert, who was hard at work studying, turned to his roommate. "Why don't you draw something? That's usually how you kill time."
Matt pouted. "Yeah, but I suck at drawing."
"All the more reason to practice!" Gilbert joked. Matthew didn't laugh. "Hey, Birdy? It's not about whether you're good or bad. Just because you're not gonna make a career out of it doesn't mean you shouldn't do what you love. Besides, I love your art."
Matthew blushed lightly and buried his face in his arms. "It's really not that good."
"Aw, but I liked being a model! I was practically born for it! I mean, it's not possible to draw something bad with me as the subject matter, right?" He grinned. Matthew continued to pout. Gilbert leaned in close to his ear, smirking, and whispered, "Would it help if I posed naked?"
Matthew bolted up from his seat, face flushed, effectively head-butting Gilbert in the nose with a loud crunch.
"G-geez, Gil! Don't be a perv!" Matthew barked nervously while Gilbert wobbled back cradling his nose in his hands.
"What? It was a joke!" Gilbert replied in a muffled voice, wincing. "I joke like that with everyone!"
Matthew's face fell. "Everyone?"
"Yeah! It doesn't bother anyone else!"
Matthew scowled. "Why don't you go hit on someone else, then? Leave me alone!"
Gilbert frowned. "What? What's the big deal? You never cared before. I always joke around with you."
"Well, this may be news to you, but I don't enjoy being made fun of!"
Gilbert's face became more serious. "When did I say I was making fun of you?"
Matt rolled his eyes. "Oh, please. Flirt with the nerd you're totally not interested in? How is that not insulting?"
"I'm interested."
Matthew froze. Gilbert approached him, dangerously close, his gaze intense. "I'm interested," he repeated softly.
He raised a hand to touch Matt's face, but Matthew reeled backwards, tripping over his chair and landing on his butt. He quickly scampered to his feet. "I… I gotta go!" Matthew squealed, grabbing his tote bag and rocketing out of the room.
X
Gilbert sat on his bed, quietly contemplating.
His moment of silence was broken by the theme music to The Emperor's New Groove as Alfred kicked open the door and shimmied his way inside.
"Who's the man? Who's the man?" Al exclaimed, dancing about. He jumped up on his brother's desk and continued to dance and chant, "I the man! I the man!"
Gilbert gave him a stern look.
He leapt from the desk dramatically, landing on the ground with a roll, and posed flamboyantly in front of Gilbert's bed, music still echoing from the iPod in his hand.
"Alfred."
"Gil, it was so awesome!"
"Alfred," he repeated.
"I'm in love!" Alfred yanked Gilbert up from the bed by the waist and swung him around effortlessly, like a young girl dancing with a rag doll, while humming the tune to Once Upon A Dream.
"Alfred!" Gilbert snapped.
Alfred immediately stopped dancing. "Gil? What is it, what's wrong?"
x
"Poor Mattie."
Gilbert frowned as he crammed ice-cream straight from the carton into his mouth. "What do you mean, poor Matt? What about me? What did I do wrong?"
"He's had a crush on you since forever."
Gilbert raised an eyebrow, and tried hard not to grin. His attempt failed. "Really?"
"Yeah."
"You're sure?"
Alfred rolled his eyes. "I know my brother, Gil."
Gilbert paused, licking the chocolate chunk ice-cream from his lips. "Then why'd he run?"
Alfred shrugged. "What can I say? He's awkward."
"But what should I do?"
Alfred cleared his throat. "Well, normally in this situation I'd recommend a wingman. However, given how serious the situation is, I'd recommend two."
x
Gilbert fixed the tie on his tuxedo uncomfortably. He wasn't used to dressing up, and though he was excited, he was also a little nervous. His sweaty palm could barely hold onto the rose bouquet he was carrying.
He recalled Alfred's advice. "Matt likes to be alone sometimes. He's probably somewhere secluded outside."
Gilbert looked around the school gardens nervously. "What do I do if he's not here?" He wondered. "What do I do if he is?"
"Think he's got a shot?" Alfred whispered from behind a nearby bush.
"Shhhh," Ivan shushed him. He whipped out his cellphone, looking at his last sent message:
Matt! It's an emergency!
Come to the school garden, quick!
-Ivan
"So you're okay with this," Ivan confirmed. Alfred raised a brow.
"What do you mean?"
"Gilbert's your best friend, right?" Ivan frowned. "You're really okay with him being closer with your brother than you?"
Alfred's face went pale. "What do you mean?! Gil and I are like brothers! Bros before hoes, man! He'd never ignore me for a guy!"
"Would you ignore Gilbert for me?"
Alfred looked horrified. "You're right. Our friendship is doomed."
There was a thud behind Gilbert. He turned to see Matthew, who had just dropped his bag in shock. "Gil?! What are you doing here?"
"I had to see you."
Matthew was too overwrought to move. Gilbert inched closer and closer until he got down on one knee and thrust his bouquet towards Matthew.
"Go out with me!" He exclaimed. It sounded a little more like an order than he meant it to be.
Matthew's eyes grew wide. "What?"
"I can see what's happening," Alfred wailed from his hiding spot. "And they don't have a clue! They'll fall in love, and our friendship will be ruined!" He cried, bursting into song.
The two stayed frozen as they were, one on the ground, one standing up, until Matthew stammered, "I-I should go."
"No, Birdy, wait!" Gilbert exclaimed.
"The sweet caress of twilight! There's magic everywhere! And with all this romantic atmosphere, disaster's in the air!"
"What is happening."
Gilbert tackled Matthew as the school intercom speakers burst into loud music.
Can you feel
The love tonight?
They rolled down through the flowerbed.
The peace the evening brings
Matthew landed atop of Gil as their tumble came to a halt.
The world, for once, in perfect harmony
They looked deeply into each other's eyes.
With all it's living things...
The speakers screeched and the music came to a halt, Matthew and Gilbert frozen. The principal cleared his throat. "Err, sorry, wrong record."
Matthew and Gilbert kissed wildly and passionately for what felt like hours.
Alfred smiled sadly. "And if he falls in love tonight... it can be assumed..." He cleared his throat and sighed. "His carefree days with me are history."
He watched his brother and best friend embrace. "In short, my pal is doomed." A single tear of both joy and sorrow rolled down his cheek.
"Wow. That was… intense." Ivan wasn't really sure what else to say.
Matthew and Gilbert smiled at each other, before Matt was knocked over by Alfred's boot and his brother screaming "That's my bestie, home wrecker!"
"That moment of compassion sure didn't last long," Ivan sighed.
x
Thanks for reading! Please review and let me know how you liked it!
Thanks to Anon990 for editing!