forum I Should Hate you. . . But I Don't (Closed with Dayzed) (1/1)

Started July 21, 2023 by @RhysTheFirebird group

tune

Reo grumbles, feeling kind of like a child after Darius deposited him into his room. He huffs, crossing his arms over his chest and then following Darius out of the room. “Fine. . . Be a dick. . . Like usual. . .” Reo mutters, though nothing about this encounter was like usual. Normally, Darius would tear into him at the slightest bit of sass, and Reo possessed quite a bit of sas. He had just quickly learned to not flash it when Darius was around, though this morning he had seemed to completely lost his marbles.

He walk/limps passed the other and makes his way around the glass and into the kitchen. Going straight to the fridge, he pulls some eggs out of a carton and then the milk and cheese. He opens the meat drawer and grabs some bacon. “Do you want some?” He offers before pushing the drawer closed with his uninsured hip.

“Or do you just want a bottle for breakfast?”

He rolls his eyes, clearly teasing as he sets the eggs down carefully and then grabs a bowl.

Darius swept a bit of the glass to the side as Reo passed, making sure the guy didn't accidentally step on some. He didn't need a further injured Reo.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm a dick, get it all out" Darius grumbled, knowing Reo was being too bold for his own good. Luckily, Darius was having a difficult time with how he felt, his heart and mind thrown into chaos as he tried to figure out what the best course of action was here.
Darius could quite literally dump Reo, then he wouldn't have to worry about it- sure, it might get him kicked out of the place and he'd have to find somewhere else to go, but there was something akin to feeling upset with that thought. He'd known Reo for quite some time now and while all his significant others in the past hadn't lasted for more than a month or two, Reo was sticking it out with him. He had half expected the guy to not deal with him, but he was curiously still here….
"I care." His heart felt constricted as he thought about those words every now and then.
Fuck.

Darius stood up from his previous crouching position and went to the small closet to take a dustpan and broom from their places, making his way back to shattered glass.
"Playing housewife again, are we?" He called out in return for Reo's teasing. Two could play at that game.
However, for the first time he had known the guy he felt strangely comfortable around him. Reo hadn't shattered how he had imagined him to. He was weirdly resilient and there was a slight admiration there for that.
In fact, one would argue that the one shattering was Darius.
"But yeah, put some on for me" Darius waved him away as he brought the dustpan to the trash and dumped it. It was quite the switch, from not wanting anything to do with Reo to finally accepting his act of service while also not making a fuss about it.
He grabbed a rag from the counter and ran water on it before going to clean the wall from the dark stain that had dried on it.

Reo watches Darius, his hands stilling before he opened it. He smiles slightly, shaking his head slightly. "You have your soft spots." His gaze settles onto a cabinet as he goes to get the frying pan. He felt like adding 'Just like everyone else' onto that statement, but he had a feeling Darius would hate getting compared to other people. Because of that, he stayed quiet as the clattering of the pan bumping others as he pulls it out.

He sets the pan onto the stove, turning the eye on and letting the pan warm. He rolls his eyes, though a slight flush creeps up his cheeks. He turns, facing Darius and placing his hands on his hips. Though his face was still flushed, he spoke, "Did you just call me a woman?" He huffs, dropping some butter into the pan after turning away. Then, pulls out six eggs and cracks them. He adds some salt and pepper, mixing that before adding the cheese, milk and bacon. Slowly, he pours the eggs into the pan.

After a long moment he looks over his shoulder, "You were probably too drunk last night to remember. . . But. . . Last night, when you kissed me. . . You said I tasted different. Sweeter." He looks back to the eggs, picking up a spatula.

"Does it have anything to the fact that. . . Um. . . I drank last night? I had a bottle at my friend's house."

Reo doesn't mention the fact that his twenty-first birthday was still in a month or so, but Darius probably knew that. And now that he's thinking about it, he could feel a small headache settling into the back of his head. He stares at the eggs, pushing them around with the spatula.

Darius eyed Reo suspiciously as he called him "soft". However, this time, Darius didn't take it as an insult, his heart opening up only slightly at the thought that someone saw him as something more than just someone who was good at ruining things.
"Maybe you're just rubbing off on me…" He muttered to himself.

As Reo turned to him to confront him, Darius' mouth went dry at the accusation, yet the side of his mouth quirked into a hesitant smirk.
"So what if I am?" He asked. Darius didn't see it as anything bad even though some of his jokes centered around it were unsavory. He had gotten told off a lot by various women, often getting slapped for something he wasn't supposed to say.
It got so bad that from a point on he decided to drop those kinds of jokes, knowing they weren't really earning him any points with anyone.

Darius had concentrated on the stain that was proving to be rather difficult to remove, his hands working at it as he grew increasingly frustrated by the second. His brows furrowed as he put more force into it. Fuck. The last thing he needed was to have to repaint the whole place just for his idiotic actions.
Reo's words, however, caught him off guard and his face turned beet red at hearing his own words out loud. He hadn't completely forgotten, but some parts were still missing in his memory.

"Probably. Tasted a lot sweeter than usual, 's not like it'll be the last time we do it either" He commented, trying to play it off like it didn't matter much to him, but what he had accidentally revealed was that he actually enjoyed kissing the guy to some extent and there would be other times- or at the very least he had given away that he took note of how Reo tasted. Darius didn't just do things because he had to, though the majority of the time it was like that.

"Listen- I…I'll pay for this. I can't get the stain out but I'll go out and buy some stuff to see if it'll help me- if not…" He trailed off.
"I'll make it up to you" He cringed at himself for saying the words, but knew he had messed up. He should really reserve his heavy drinking for bars. At least then if he got into an altercation, he wouldn't have to worry about things like these. Maybe just getting bailed from the police station, but that, he could handle.

Reo's gaze flicks up to Darius again, grinning, "I'd say that's great improvement from before." He looks back down at the pan and then adds a little more heat, hunger getting the better if his patience. He moves the eggs around, making sure they don't burn in the access heat.

He watches the eggs as they quickly finish cooking. He slides the pan off the eye and looks at Darius again raising an eyebrow, "Oh, really?" He wipes his hands and walks over to Darius, his green eyes sharp with mirth. He rea he's out and lightly presses his hand into the center of Darius's chest for a moment.

"Do you like someone working hard for you?" He turns away, moving back to the counter and putting the eggs on plates, looking at Darius. "Do you like a housewife?"

His head tips to the side, smirking.

He felt his face flame more intensely, his gaze flicking back to Darius. He instantly regretted moving away from the other man. He looks back to the plates. He licks his lips, swallowing.

After a moment, when he hears Darius's rambling, he sighs softly and walks back over, gently takin his wrist. "Darius. . ." He murmurs, looking up at him.

"Don't worry about it. Don't fret, it's fine. I'll take care of it. Just eat some food." He smiles softly, kissing his cheek lightly, "It'll be fine."

Darius tensed a little at the compliment, yet curiously avoided eye contact with Reo as he finished making the eggs.

It wasn't until he came over to press his palm against his chest that Darius' hand instinctively went to grab Reo's wrist, his tight grip loosening on the guy after a moment, now watching the sharpness in Reo's eyes. His questions made Darius swallow harshly, releasing him as the other pulled away.
"I….I- don't, no, I'm…" His face grew red as Reo basically taunted him. He gritted his teeth at the other man, slight anger in his eyes, but more so embarrassment than anything else. He wasn't a fan of the feeling, but Reo's smirk seemed to seal the deal as his heart skipped a beat, pure horror taking over his insides once more. It was starting to feel like a common reaction to his partner.
His partner. Fear ripped through him at the thought of being dependent on someone.
He couldn't quite yet admit that this was love, but it shook him slightly to know at the very least that he wouldn't be letting go of Reo any time soon.

Darius had nervously moved near the table where Reo had put the plates down, thinking about how to remedy the situation. Not that this was a problem. Not at all, he hadn't cared about the stain or to make things better but…. Reo cared. So he found it in himself to do the same.
As Reo trailed back to him, now grabbing him in what Darius perceived to be a gentle way, he seemed to freeze.

The same green eyes looked up at him again as he spoke, Darius' striking ice blue ones wide in a way that spelled danger.
Anxiety grew in Darius' chest as Reo kissed him on the cheek. It'll be fine.
Would it? Would it really?

His eyes narrowed before he gripped the other's face with one hand, now pressing his lips to Reo's, placing his other hand on his hip to keep him still.
But just as soon as it had started it had been over, Darius releasing Reo, a slight scowl on his face as he turned to the table.
"Should eat…" He muttered. "It'll get cold" His face was dusted with red as he yet again avoided eye contact. He seemed to be having an internal fight with himself.

(Thought I replied. . . But also super busy. XD)

Reo laughs softly at the expression on Darius's face, shaking his head slightly, "Oh, god, Darius, I'm messing with you, seriously, calm don. I don't mind though. I like cooking and cleaning. Makes me feel good." He smiles up at the other male, his lips twisted into an expression of. . . contentment, as well as happiness. It was strange and funny to think that Darius was the one who put it there, but he was. . . And Reo, he didn't mind. There was a reason Reo hadn't kicked Darius out on his ass after the first month of living with him. Reo saw good in the male.

Mean and asshole-ish as the other was, Reo saw a light in him. . . Then again, Reo saw the light in everyone and he'd been burned by that many times. Many, many times./

"I'll get some new dry wall and fix it. I'll even show you how so you can do it if it needs doing again in the feature if it'll make you feel better." Reo let out a shocked sound in his throat, his eyes closing for a moment as he kissed back, enjoying the short, swift moment. He makes a sound of protest when Darius pulls back and turns towards the table, letting out a huff of frustration. "Yeah, yeah. . ."

He grumbles and moves back to the table, sitting down in his seat and picking up his fork, fidgeting with it.

(haha no worries!! i've been having a time too XD hope you've been alright tho)

Darius eyed the smile on Reo's face. It felt strangely nice that he was smiling because of him. Smiles had always looked good on Reo, Darius knew this, but for some reason after a while, he had been hell-bent on making it disappear. Why?
He didn't know, but at times, the blatant display of happiness irked him. He wished it would go away so he could drown himself in nihilism.

Reo did things, however, that many partners in the past had failed to do with him. Darius very rarely got possessive or jealous, but right now he was hanging on by a thread. Losing his mind over someone he was dating was the lowest of the low. It was something he had told himself over and over again. Funny how it came to bite him in ass this time around.
"Deal." Came Darius' response after he had let go of the shocked male, subtly licking his lips, the sensation still tingling across them.
The frustration that came from Reo, made the edges of his mouth twitch into an amused smile- the embarrassment and slight scowl disappearing completely. The grumbling and flustered state of the other was the nail in the coffin. Darius seemed to like that- that reaction. It sure as hell felt a lot better than Reo ignoring him. Or being all over him- which was now something he found that he was missing.

Still, this had to be his second-favorite expression, first place going to Reo's hurt look paired with tears. There were days when he would purposely pick a fight, it escalating to alarming levels until Reo snapped under the pressure. It wasn't right, Darius knew that, but it was those short moments where he found Reo irresistible- pretty even.

Darius made his way over to the table and the plate Reo had set out for him, a soft satisfied hum leaving him which was unheard of coming from the man. He mirrored Reo's actions in picking up the fork to start to eat but didn't delay his movement as he took a bite of the food. His eyes flickered from his food to Reo every so often, a curious look on Darius' face if one had to describe it.

(did we want to do a small time skip or plan what we should do next? i know its a bit too soon again buuuuttt…. :)

Reo had spent the previous night home, a small reprieve from the social activities he normally did. He spent the time napping and finishing homework for class. At the end of it, he'd felt relieved, and then had gotten a spam of texts as to why the hell he wasn't at the bar. Then an invite to a party and a 'bring your roommate' tagged onto the end of the message.

Reo then avoided Darius all day today, nerves building up inside him as he contemplated inviting Darius out. He'd made the meals of course, but had opted to eat in his room instead. He rubs his forehead and steps from his room, holding his shoes in his hand and jacket draped over his arm. He wanders around until her finds Darius.

He clears his throat slightly, rubbing the back of his neck slightly. "Hey. . . Um, sorry about today. I had a lot of class work. . ." He shifts, looking slightly uncomfortable.

"But, there's a party tonight, and I was wondering if you wanted to go with me. I mean, you don't have to, of course, but I hought it would be nice for us to do something together. Bonding time, you know? We don't do that often. . ."

He presses his lips together, realizing his was rambling and dropped his gaze, looking down at the floor uncertainly.

(also sorry this is a bit long, got carried away again)

Darius had been irritated, to say the least.
Okay, that was an understatement, he was pissed to all hell, and it all came down to Reo avoiding him. There were burning questions in his mind that he refused to ask Reo- he didn't want to confront him and then ask what he considered the most stupid things known to mankind. Things like "Why are you avoiding me? Is there something wrong?" But Darius would rather jump off a high ledge than humiliate himself like that. Still. It bothered him, and his clinginess showed in the way he grew more and more exasperated by the second.

He should just ask, he had concluded. It had been the only thought he had in the last three minutes- going over in his head what he should say- or do to get Reo's attention.
However, even that was starting to fill him with rage. The way he seemed overly anxious when Reo went out even though he had never felt like that before until the other day. How if Reo didn't speak to him, he felt like Reo would actually leave this time, despite the fact that the guy had told him he cared about him.

It all made his head spin and feel a little sick to his stomach- knowing that he had never handled emotions well. I mean, what the hell was he supposed to do with all of his anger? And now his jealousy and worry on top of it all?
Darius' leg bounced as he bit down on his thumb's nail, trying to keep himself from grinding his teeth.
It all came to a screeching halt though when he heard Reo's familiar voice, whipping around so fast it looked like he had given himself whiplash.

He narrowed his eyes at the blatant lie. Well, maybe not a blatant lie the guy had been busy, but Darius knew when others avoided him- if Reo eating in his room and not with him said anything.
"Don't bother" Darius brushed off his apology, though, his heart did seem to get lighter at the words, even if he knew it was a partial lie.
Darius didn't know what he had been expecting Reo to want, but going to a party with him had been the last thing on the list of things he thought Reo could have asked him.

Still, his eyes reflected something dangerous at the offer- and maybe even a touch of eagerness at it too.

"Bonding time?" Darius mused, now standing from the bed he was sitting on and making his way over to Reo when he dropped his gaze.
"You want to spend time- with me?" He asked, the thought almost laughable in his head after everything he put Reo through- and his avoidance all day today. But if there was anything Darius had figured from the smaller man, it was that he seemed to be addicted to getting hurt- or at least, that was the way Darius saw it.
Everyone called Darius twisted, but clearly, they hadn't ever met his counterpart. A near-sinister smile made its way onto his lips at the nervous ramble Reo had given him.
Darius brushed his hand underneath Reo's chin, tilting his face up so that he would look at him properly. He clicked his tongue before giving a short hum, his stupid shit-eating grin still plastered on his face.
"Sure, why not, I've got nothing better to do" He spoke, though, that wasn't the only reason why he would be going. He found that he also quite enjoyed Reo's company. He would have realized that a lot sooner had he actually been paying attention to the man rather than hurting and ignoring him.

"Are we leaving right now?" He asked, noting the shoes and jacket on Reo's person. Usually, Darius would have liked more of a heads-up before something like this, but found that at this moment, he didn't mind it much. After all, Reo was inviting him out.

Reo chewed on his lip. The nerves that had been building up all day cascaded into a final crescendo. What if Darius scorned him? Or just laughed? Or, what Reo strangely thought would hurt the most, just a plain no.

He rarely ever saw Darius go out, and Reo didn't know much of what the other male did. Most times when he asked, Darius would glare and say something about minding his own business.

And he was probably crazy, because he still kept trying to do things with Darius. Despite the denials and shoot downs that have constantly happened in the past. His mother used to tell him he was too much of a people pleaser.

Which was probably true.

I mean. . . I literally just do whatever this guy wants- One too many times Reo had gotten hurt doing something for someone else. He still hadn't learned to move out of the sun, no matter how bad the burns were. He had almost no self preservation. The little amount he had was taking care of his hemophilia.

He heard Darius's foot steps coming closer and he still didn't look up, shifting slightly. "Or, whatever you wanna call it, if it's not bonding time. . ." He mumbles.

He felt Darius's hand touch his chin and her looks up, staring at Darius. He shifts again, slightly uncomfortable with the look on Darius's face. Though he smiles brightly when Darius agrees to go out.

"Great. Yeah, I'm leaving now. Usually, I car pool, but we can take may car if that's more comfortable for you. . . Or, you can drive-" Reo shrugs slightly and steps back after a few moments and drops his shoes onto the floor, sliding them on quickly.

Bonding time.
Reo sure was interesting to Darius- in more ways than one. On the one hand, he didn't understand him, and on the other hand, he didn't understand what he did to him. He seemed a little too eager to get close to Darius who was as volatile as they came.
"It's a date then," Darius said finally, the bright look that came onto Reo's face making him internally scowl, yet not helping the way a light dusting of pink covered his face. He released Reo as he moved to step back, watching him as he spoke.
"We'll take your car- and if you want to drive, then drive" he spoke casually as he went over to his closet to find a jacket.

On their way to the party, Darius stared out the window, unsure of what he should say to Reo- if he should say anything at all. He found his eyes wandering over the other again and again, wondering when they would be arriving. Reo hadn't said where they were going to be going, but knowing the guy, it probably wasn't anywhere too fancy or too far away.

It didn't take long for the two to arrive at their destination and when they did, Darius didn't miss a beat as he got out of the car. He waited for Reo to do the same before he joined his side to walk up to the entrance.
Darius, very uncharacteristically, held the door open for Reo before trailing after him. He didn't speak during the entire time, mentally taking notes of everything around him and wondering if Reo's friends would be around. They didn't seem to like Darius too much, and he knew why. Everybody knew why.