Work Text:
Ruby’s face fell, the delicate china teapot presented dainty was teetering as her hands shook, threatening to crash and fracture across marble floors. Miranda stood still, back facing her as her hands rolled into anxious, tight fists and her sobs were bit, suffocated behind bruised lips and rigid breathing. In any other time, Ruby would’ve rushed over to her, prying her white-knuckled fists open to soothe the crescent shaped marks that defiled her palms, but not now.
The sun was fairly high, seeping into the birch blinds that adorned Sapnap’s crisp windows and the clock ticked close to six p.m. He had been at it all day, from papers to worksheets and filling in his part of the literature review he was assigned. He barely had time for himself, but there was something about honing in on intense work that sent a rush through his body, fueling his workaholic trait and causing him to fall into a deep slumber of productivity. He enjoyed feeling productive, and a twenty-first birthday wasn’t too much of an exciting feat. Sure, he could spend the night getting wasted away, tipping back some shots for the first time and smirk as he walked into the club with his real ID, but he was almost done with this attributes to his projects and if he spent one more night writing away, he could take a more satisfying break on the coming weekend (and to Sapnap, that consisted of sitting at his desk, hunched over till the dusk of the moon fell upon ebony locks and writing his romantic prose).
But with every perfect kiss and romance, there had to be a looming villain ready to pounce and tear down the destiny of star crossed lovers, and in Sapnap’s world, it was his best friend.
“Sap. Nap.” Said villain stormed into his room, standing stiff by his desk with a tapping foot and arms crossed over chest. Sapnap ignored the presence, continuing to write away with his head down. The sooner he finished this, the sooner he could write a solution to Ruby’s harsh dilemma-
“Nope! You’re done!” The pen was snatched out of his hand and he grumbled, looking up to the evil, vicious antagonist to his perfect, little story. He glared but he knew this one was a loss. Out of the fifty-three times he and his best friend had a stare-off, the latter had won forty-nine to four, always ending in Sapnap being dragged out to do something.
“Aw, poor Sapnap, getting teary-eyed aren’t ya, you big baby.” They teased, sticking their tongue out and as much as Sapnap wanted to squint his eyes open, he blinked and two pitiful tears rolled down his cheeks.
“Five-Oh to four, Sappy, I’m just better!” They cheered. Sapnap rolled his eyes, wiping away his loose tears.
“Tina,” he began, ready to pull the biggest sob story, “I’m almost done with this project, like, another few paragraphs and it’s done! If I don’t finish this now, I’ll never have the motivation to finish it ever again!”
“Uh huh.”
“Yep! And…” he smiled fakely, “It’s my birthday! Therefore what I say goes and I say I stay here and finish my essay and when I’m done in an hour, we can eat cake and crank up STAR FM, what d’you say?” He proposed, eyes fluttering obnoxiously up at her. It seemed to be working, Tina’s glorified stare-off glare softening before a smile crept on her face too. She placed a hand over Sapnap’s, and nodded slowly. Sapnap smiled.
Then she pulled out a paper slip from behind her back with her other hand and slammed it on the desk, right on top of Sapnap’s workbook and Sapnap’s smile disintegrated like Ruby’s trust.
“Engaged?” Ruby shuddered as the word left her lips, so foreign, so impossible. Because for years, her and Miranda spent their days sleuthing between dark, mystical corridors of the castle, crouching around every brick nook and cranny where hands were tangled in red and brown locks, lips were bruised by each other’s teeth rather than their own, and tenacious love severed the midnight breeze. If only her hands could slither around small waists and trusting tastes again.
“Yep, that’s right!” Tina smirked, tone smug as he manicured fingers splayed over the paper. Sapnap gawked, “Tina, I gave this to you on your twelfth birthday.”
“And what d’you know? Expiry date, thirtieth of June, two-thousand, eleven fifty-nine p.m.” Tina tapped the scrawny “expiry date” on the slip and Sapnap groaned, looking at the numbers ‘03/01/1998’ written on the top left-hand corner of her page. It was a coupon Sapnap had given to Tina on her twelfth birthday because he had forgotten a real gift, and he did not want to get his ass beat.
“Tina…” Sapnap drawled.
“Sap…” She fake pouted but quickly turned into a devilish grin as she picked up Sapnap’s pen and signed the paper against the messily drawn line beside “Sign when coupon has been used” and poked Sapnap’s cheek with the back of it.
His eyes fell to the paragraphs of writing under the slip, “But my pap-”
“Oh don’t come to me with that ‘loss of motivation’ crap,” Tina tutted, “you and I both know that writing is the one thing you do whenever you can, you could get this done anytime!”
She was right.
“And isn’t this due in like a week and a half?”
“Eight days.”
“And you could smash this out in three hours!” She exasperated. Sapnap felt his stomach pool with butterflies. He knew he could offer to go out tonight, and he knew that Tina was really excited to go out and spend his birthday with him, but he was getting restless at the thought of too many real people and not enough climbing evergreens, or chipped brick, or flaring passion or desolate betrayal. Going out struck a nerve.
“At least face me.” Thorns left Ruby’s lips, red with rage, abused with distrust. Miranda’s walnut locks were as perfect as ever, shielding the girl under that could never turn around.
“If we meant anything to you, you would turn around and say it to my face.” Ruby tried again, because she was crawling and grabbing at the hand that was saving her from falling over the bridge and down, down, down into a drowning pit of inevitable solidarity, just hanging on the last hope that maybe, it was all a lie. Maybe, the tantalising pecks, the flushed knuckles, the hot, sinful, intimate dances under mahogany trees meant something to her.
But it didn’t.
“I hope to see you at the wedding, Ruby.” And china broke.
“It’s been a couple months since, y’know.” Tina’s voice wilted a little, like rose petals falling off its bud. Sapnap knew. Like Miranda was to Ruby, Cooper was to Sapnap. Cooper who had walnut locks. Cooper who would take him into the nooks of corridors and would have him unravel under his touch, nips at the neck and cheek and dry lips. Cooper who took him under the mahogany tree on the west side of campus and sang while Sapnap wrote about unnerving firsts and saccharine lasts.
Cooper who’s calloused hands were caught in blonde threads at the Thanksgiving dinner just months ago.
“And as much as I would love to go out, if you really don’t want to, we can just read these novels I picked up from the library and linguistically criticise them like we always do, under covers, with some hot chocolate?” Tina genuinely offered, “Consider that my coupon request.”
And Sapnap’s heart melted, love for his best friend swirled around them like fairy lights. Tina’s offer sounded like a dream, a lottery-winning vacation minus a lodge in the woods, but he knew that Tina had discarded her own wishes for Sapnap’s impending social anxiety and post-break up mourning too many times to count. It had been months since either of them let loose and hung out outside of campus and even though it was Sapnap’s birthday, he wanted to let Tina have it her way. Besides, maybe it was about time he battled his fears.
“No.” He stated with assertion, “Why should I let a stink-ass guy keep us from going out? It’s my twenty-first birthday and we’re going to get drinks!” He announced and Tina lit up, clasping Sapnap’s hands in hers and jumping up and down on his wooden floor.
“Seriously, Sap? You’re okay with it?” She asked again.
“Drinks on you though, right?”
“Drinks on me!” And Tina scurried to Sapnap’s closet, flinging out a suitable outfit from the limited choices. She passed though his polo shirts and took out his white dress shirt, pulled out the denim jacket and a brown leather jacket for layering and to battle the chilliness of the night, and began to rummage through his four pairs of pants.
“Sap, are these all the bottoms you have?” Tina quirked an eyebrow, throwing the three articles she already pulled at his chest as he caught them with an ‘oof’.
“Yeah? And these sweats, I guess.” He gestures to his current pair. Tina tutted, she did that often around Sapnap.
“Nope, this just won’t do!” She huffed and walked quickly out of Sapnap’s room into her’s next door, coming back with a pair of light beige dad pants, cuffed at the bottom and a brown belt in her other hand. a gold buckle adorning it, “My sister bought me these pants for Christmas but they came in the wrong size, they should fit you.”
“Do I have to?” Sapnap whined, he was more than prepared to go out in a hoodie and jeans.
“It’s your twenty-first birthday and we’re going clubbing!” She exasperated, throwing the pants and belt at him again where her neon pink biker shorts and ocean blue crop top were, a white jacket over her shoulder, “Plus, don’t you want to, I don’t know, have a few options open?”
Tina’s wink set Sapnap coughing.
“Tina!”
She cackled, “Get dressed, idiot.”
“Can I see an ID please?” The bouncer nodded, voice deep and bothered. Sapnap understood, he'd be peeved having to deal with hundreds of probably, mostly under-aged minors trying to sneak their way in.
“Corpse! He’s with me!” Tina winked and the bouncer’s stance immediately softened and he stepped aside to let the pair in. Tina hugged him and went in, dragging Sapnap in with her as he quickly flashed his ID. Corpse nodded and gravelled “Happy Birthday., with a curt nod.
“Who’s tha-,” Sapnap cut himself off at the beaming lights and body-thumping music that itched his brain. God, this was a lot. He let Tina drag him through the dancing bodies, weaving through standing and sitting tables that were little with half-empty glasses and crushed cans. He thought he was getting intoxicated already.
“Tina, hey!” A girl with voluminous pigtails tapped her shoulder as the pair slid past, behind said girl was a group that Sapnap could only assume were her friends.
“Rae!” She squealed and kissed the girl on the cheek, “This is Nick, y’know him. It’s his twenty-first!” Tina introduced. Rae gasped and raised her glass, “Happy birthday, Nick!”
“Nick? Nick from the writing team?” Another voice behind Rae called and Sapnap peered over, waving, “Hi, Jodi.” The girl with pink hair and silver hoops grinned back, picking up a can of beer and throwing it at him that he caught effortlessly (Tina threw things at him a lot).
“On me!” Jodi winked and went back to her friends, dancing.
“We’re gonna go, but we might catch you later, kay?” Tina said and Rae nodded, “See ya.”
Sapnap was quickly feeling overwhelmed, his grip on Tina’s arm tightening as she lead them to a deeper, more isolated part of the club. They settled in a booth that had red cushioned seats and a table in the centre. It was well away from the main dance floor but close enough that the music still thumped with his racing heart and Rae’s friend group were evidently partying it down under fluorescent lights.
“Could we get a bottle of strawberry soju please? And a sparkling apple juice?” Sapnap flushed at the mention of his favourite drink, feeling out of place under the eyes of the club.
“Tina…” He grumbled, appreciative but still embarrassed.
“Oh hush,” she assured and they slid into the booth, “It’s your first time drinking ever, you’re going to have a real shitty time if you just waste yourself away! Just drink the sparkling apple juice and sip at the beer Jodi threw you, you can have some of the soju as well but don’t get too carried away.” Tina mentored. Sapnap noded, smiling. He appreciated her a lot.
Sapnap shrugged off the brown leather jacket, feeling the club heat start to get to him as he and Tina talked away. Mentionings of Sapnap’s participation in the writing team for the college play mentioned by Jodi earlier were a topic of the conversation, as well as dabbling into Tina’s recent out of campus trip with her group from her art lectures which brought up the re-iteration of Corpse from the front door. Sapnap quickly learnt he worked Friday and weekend shifts as the club’s bouncer. It worked, he thought, he was as tough and intimidating as you could get.
Sapnap had taken a few sips of the beer during their conversation, enjoying the taste more than he thought but also took a stronger drag of his sparkling apple and a few nips at Tina’s strawberry soju. He enjoyed the light buzz, feeling in on his cheeks as Tina pointed out cheekily, finding it amusing that her younger friend was already a little tipsy. Sapnap giggled more now as the effects of the alcohol seeped into his head and was feeling a little floaty. He was glad he went out, he was enjoying himself.
“And then Karl, as always, just had to bring up his win from the athletics competition that he won, one damn time! Brooke and Emma had to hold me back.” Tina rolled his eyes and took a shot, “Oh my goodness! I totally forgot! Karl found a place for your date on Sunday.”
Sapnap choked.
“Date?” He spat, shocked.
Tina nodded nonchalantly, “The blind date? The one I arranged for you last week? Don’t tell me you forgot?”
And shit, Sapnap did forget. After another twenty minute battle with Tina, he reluctantly let her set him up on one blind date, just to get her off his tail for a bit. He buried it so deep underneath piles of work and copious files and papers that he had forgotten about the event.
“Tina…” He drew out the “a” which resulted in a pointed look that he got way too often.
“It’s at that cafe across campus, the place that has that lemon cake you like.” She pouted, fakely to try to convince him. Sapnap slouched in his seat slightly, exaggerating his reluctance.
Tina huffed, dropping the puppy dog act, “Hey!” She hit his shoulder playfully, “You were the one complaining about George and Karl being up in each other’s faces all the time! We did this for you!”
“I complained out of annoyance at seeing them stuck like two peas in a pod!” He defended, “Not because I was jealous!”
“Tinaaaaa, why do Karl and George go out on dates all the time? Tina, how come George gets cute gifts? Tina, Tina, Tina!” She mocked in an ironically higher pitch and smiled deviously.
“Well, I mean, I-” He sighed, turning to her, “Tina, I’ve never even been on a date before.”
“What about Cooper?” She asked hastily but bit her lip and internally scolded herself at Sapnap’s crestfallen expression, “Shit, sorry, I forgot.”
He shook his head, sipping on more juice, “No, it’s fine.” He echoed, “It’s fine.”
“Please, just have fun, Sap.” She finished and patted the top of Sapnap’s hand in both comfort and finality, “Give it a whirl!”
Before Sapnap could respond, a ringing and buzzing vibrated the booth’s table. It was about the sixth time it had rung during their outing, and Tina groaned, hanging up again.
“What’s his deal?” She grumbled.
“It really does seem urgent, shouldn’t you pick up?” Sapnap nodded to her phone.
“I’m sure it’s nothing important and he’s just being a bother.” Tina waved it off, “Don’t let this ruin our night.”
Her phone rang again, somehow seeming more aggressive this time. And before Tina could hang up, Sapnap took her phone and picked it up for her, shoving it in her face. She mouthed a harmless “fuck you” and took her phone, holding up to her ear while maintain eye contact with Sapnap. She mouthed another “I'm so sorry” and pointed her thumb out the back door. Sapnap nodded his head in understanding and smiled, ushering her out.
“This better be important, Foolish.” She hissed and walked out. Sapnap sighed and sipped once more at his beer, which he grimaced at. It was teetering the line between cool and room temperature in his hand, and the taste suddenly didn’t appeal to him anymore. He set it down and shrugged off his denim jacket, setting it on top of his brown leather one tossed to the side and took his time looking around the club from where he sat, not having time before to take it all in. The thematic red that threaded through lights and furniture tied it together where the deep black created emphasis for the intensity of the place. He admired the cohesivity of the interior design. A ruby red.
Ruby fixed her hood as she quickly stepped into the gates of the courtyard. Her red hair fell over her shoulders and emerald eyes flickered around the foreign surroundings. A new kingdom. Unlike the last, this place felt more grounding, earthy. The last castle dripped in flowery words and masking kisses. Here, there was something about the mossy brick and pure white daisies that speckled sparsely alongside pathways that felt so much more raw, and clean. The lawn was crisp and smelt inviting, rather than overly synthetic and flooded in the suffocating stench of perfumed nausea. Maybe this time, things would be different.
Sapnap considered walking over to Jodi’s group to chat. He knew Jodi since she was on the actors team for the theatre he was helping to write, and in the quick exchange between Rae and Tina, he spotted her boyfriend John who he used to play basketball with. Maybe he could try to be more social?
But as soon as Sapnap stood up, his head spun and his legs fell short, making him stumble back into his seat with a thump. His head hit the wall behind them, sending a dull thrum through and a small groan escaped his mouth.
“Is everything okay?” Clean, daisies, freshly cut grass, mossy brick. It overwhelmed him.
Sapnap was left stoic, one hand stuffed in his black locks, soothing the pain of the bump and the other lightly covering his mouth (and flushed cheeks) as the newcomer stood before him. Though Sapnap’s vision was limited, squinting through the throb and the music and the lights, he could faintly make out an enigma of icy blue and streaky blonde, a flash of pink swirled among black and a square of silver dazzled under maroon light.
“Hello? Should I get someone?” The stranger asked again and Sapnap blinked drowsily a couple times. He was a little tipsy, but he was sober enough to have his mind not go into auto-pilot, and his stable mind was stunned at the man before him.
“No!” He said a little too quickly, too loudly. His eyes dilated alongside the sapphire across him that sparkled in the light, surprised at the sudden response. Sapnap smiled nervously, coughing a little because shit, he was attractive, “I-I mean, no, it’s okay.” He inhaled, taking his hand down and resting it nervously on the table, tapping.
“Okay…” The other man trailed, he teetered back and forth on his heels for a second. Sapnap took the opportunity to admire the other, blonde messily sweeped back and the black bleached graphic tee, cuffed at the upper arm, he adorned had pink scribbled over it about a random band Sapnap couldn’t care less about. It was held tightly at the man’s fitted waist by a chunky black belt with silver detailing, all into looser black denim jeans that were ripped and frayed in just the right places. Along his hip was a hand shining in silver jewerly which matched the silver buckles on his boots. Sapnap was falling, fast.
“I was just wondering if you knew where the bathroom was?”
“No,” Sapnap replied, “No, sorry, this is my first time here.” He wished he could tell him.
“Ah, sorry.” He apologised, but made no effort to move, “Are you sure you’re okay?” He nodded to Sapnap, hands now in his pockets as he rocked back and forth slowly, there was an alluring glint in his lapis eyes. Sapnap felt like he was caught and dragged into space, each sparkle a star, lungs caught taut as he suffocated in the intensity of his stare. Black, sable smudges embellished his sharp, hooded eyes, evident of the wearing night, but only further accentuated his invitational attraction.
“O-Of course I’m doing okay! Why wouldn’t I be, haha, I’m just drinking, hah, yep.” The beer can now empty as he threw back the last few drops, he felt it trickle down his throat unpleasantly. He coughed.
The blonde chuckled, husky, “I meant your head, honey. Head.” He leant against the booth, Sapnap froze. He slowly nodded and laughed, “Ah, yes, my, my head.” He brought the can under the table and crushed it. Stupid Sapnap.
“Sorry, this might be a really weird question,” The sandy haired man ruffled his locks, “But I was wondering if I could buy you a drink or something?” Sapnap swore that his own blush mirrored the other, but it could’ve been the crimson lights.
“Drink?” Sapnap questioned, coming out a bit more pointed than intended. He raised his hand that held the crushed beer can and chuckled nervously, timid, “I think I’ll pass.”
The striking blue in his eyes dimmed out, disappointed. Sapnap had the sudden urge to reignite the flame.
“But!” Sapnap started, “I’d love to buy you one?” He tried, shaking his empty can, “I think I’ll throw up if I have another sip.”
Blue skies brightened.
“Excuse me?” A small voice asked from around the corner of the mill. Ruby peered up, hands gloved full of weeds as her cotton dress draped over her knees. She turned around in her squat, smiling softly but her eyes illuminated at the sight. White lace draped over shoulders, pearl corset snapped around waist, flattering, which then escaped seamlessly into royal blue trousers. Her hair was tied into a high ponytail, swaying in the tough breeze where front pieces danced in a perfect waltz.
Eyes as blue as neptune.
“Sorry, I just wanted to know if you want any help?” Ruby smiled and nodded, the other girl coming over and moving to kneel as she picked up a daisy and held it out, “It matches your...”
Ruby tilted her head and pointed to herself, “My what?”
She nodded, tucking a strand of burgundy red behind Ruby’s ear with fingers as delicate as china and placed the daisy snug above her ear. Ruby watched her every move starstruck, watching the tide in her eyes pull her in and out of her presence.
“Your lips, red as ruby.”
“I’m Punz, by the way.” Sapnap placed the cocktail down in front of the blonde and internally sighed because shit, that was more expensive than he thought, but the artificial blue complimented him perfectly.
“Sapnap.” He smiled.
He didn’t know what Foolish had said to Tina to keep her out for so long, but he and Punz fell into quick conversation, his social anxiety pushed away slightly by the drinks in his system. From sandy beaches, to ocean skies, to ebony ink to crimson lights, they talked about Punz’s art projects and Sapnap’s essays, their mutual love for the stereo and Punz introduced him to the band drawn scrawny on his shirt.
“They’re going to be performing here Sunday night,” Punz tipped back his drink and looked into Sapnap’s oak eyes, “I was wondering if you’d want to come together?” Sapnap’s lips parted in admiration.
“I-I mean,” Punz stuttered nervously, “If it’s not too soon that is.”
“You’re just, really pretty.” He flushed, “And I really enjoyed tonight, so y’know…” As Sapnap was just about to reply affirmative, Tina’s chirpy voice pecked the back of his mind, “Blind date, Sunday, cafe”. He deflated.
“I’m really sorry, but I can’t. I have plans already.” Sapnap winces as the blue dims again. Punz lets out a dry chuckle.
“Seems like I keep getting rejected, huh?” He smiles bitterly, he slides along the booth, the maroon below his thighs suddenly burning under black denim. He made his moves to try to stand up, but was caught by the string of a handbag. Punz lifted it up and suddenly everything felt like too much.
“Oh shit,” He looked at Sapnap, panicked. who had a confused expression, “I’m so sorry. I-I thought you were single, and like, into men- Shit. I shouldn’t have assumed.” Punz put the bag down and quickly stood up, shuffling out of the booth. Sapnap’s throat clogged up because fuck, he’s going to lose him, and even though they hadn’t known each other for long, not nearly as long as anyone else in his entire life, he needed to see those striking hues of blue again and again and again until he didn’t know what any other colour looked like.
“Wait!” He grasped Punz’s forearm, tight and looked up, “It’s my friend’s, she’s just out for a second. And, and I do happen to be into men, for the record.” He cleared his throat and looked away, flushed, “If that information was important.” Punz ignited like blue fire, Sapnap let it engulf him like waves.
And suddenly Punz’s gaze was centimetres away from him, weird that it was so intense and so dominating even though he was the one straddling Sapnap. Punz’s eyelashes fluttered against pink cheeks and Sapnap could feel soft breaths across his nose. A ringed hand was settled on his hip bone, the other with chipped black nail polish was flush pressed on his chest. Chocolate met Neptune, and Sapnap knew he needed it, they both did. The air around them compacted and it felt like they were in a tight box, flashing in scarlet light, spinning dizzily as a concoction of scents swirled around them. In the moment, Sapnap tried to ignore the pungent beer and the stench of soju, honing in on the crisp grass and morning dew that radiated off the man on top of him. Punz raised an eyebrow as he dipped closer yet somehow still not close enough for Sapnap. So Sapnap nodded, foreheads touching, legs tangled and mind blurred with everything except for Punz, Neptune, Punz, Blue.
Some say that fire is red, and water is blue. That once a fire is ignited and water takes over, it consumes it completely, the flare surrendering as it loses itself in the chill. Blue eyes, red lips, Sapnap had gone under the water and there was no coming back up. His hand slotted firm in Punz’s sandy waves as pink lips met his and they tantilised together, the fight for power deepened the kiss, more firm yet sloppy. But the messiness of the act only made them more greedy, more greedy to taste each other more. Sapnap ran his hands down Punz’s back leaving chills as he rested him on his thighs, gripping them, and Punz snaked both arms around his neck pulling him so close that he could feel nothing but Sapnap, know nothing but Sapnap. Because unlike Sapnap’s impression of fire and water, Punz felt red molten lava under his lips, fueling and burning the blue fire in his eyes and they both drove for more, lips moving in a passionate formula. Sapphire and ruby, Neptune and Mars, roses and bluebells, Punz and Sapnap.
“Isn’t it beautiful?” Nami wrapped her arms around Ruby’s waist like a present from the back, tipping her chin over her shoulder as the afternoon light blanketed them.
“It’s special.” Ruby replied, enamoured.
“Very.” She held her tighter, “Sky as blue as butterflies, yet a sun as red as well,” Nami pecked Ruby’s cheek and smiled, “Ruby.”
Under the desolate air, between the line that crossed red and blue, lips met at a blurry Purple, a Purple so intense that it blurred their minds and exploded into lavenders that became wall flowers and consumed their every thought. Ruby and Nami, a saccharine mauve.
Red lights that danced around the club shifted into a bright purple as they parted, breaths heavy, lips glossy, eyes sparkling as their gazes continued to drown in each other. Punz laughed and dove back in for a short peck, Sapnap smiling into the moment.
“Foolish that fucker, he lost the keys to his car and I had to talk him through his whole day to f- Ah!” Tina shrieked as she walked back into the club, phone clutched at her chest in surprise at her best friend under another man.
“Tina!” Sapnap shouted and Punz’s eyes widened.
“Tina?” He echoed and turned around, meeting gazes with the girl, “Tina!”
“Punz?” She pointed, “Sap?”
“You guys know each other?” All three said at the same time. It resulted in chuckles and giggles as Tina walked back to the booth.
“Now as much as I’d love to hear about this,” She flickered a hand between the two, “Could we do it when you aren’t straddling him, Punz?” And Punz had never scrambled so quickly.
Sapnap smiled at Tina nervously who just raised an eyebrow and poured herself another glass of soju, “Well I guess you don’t really need an introduction, Sapnap’s my best friend and Punz is my classmate from art, and you two weren’t supposed to meet this way but I guess it worked out for the better.”
Punz furrowed his eyebrow, “This way?”
She hummed, “I’m surprised Sap managed to talk to anyone tonight, let alone make out with someone.” And Sapnap flushed.
“Ah! About that!” She poked Sapnap’s forehead and pushed it back, “You can’t just go around kissing strangers you dumbass!” She scolded and Punz stifled a laugh behind his hand, leaning back on oen to support him as he struggled to not amuse at the scene. Sapnap grumbled like he was being scolded by his mother.
“Hey, hey! Don’t think you’re off the hook too! You can’t just be kissing pretty boys either. control yourself!” She pinched Punz’s shoulder and he winced, rubbing at it. Now it was Sapnap’s turn to laugh.
“Me and Karl spent all week trying to keep this a secret, booking out a table at the cafe at peak hour and you both just couldn’t get your hands off each other after talking for an hour could’ya?” Tina teased knowingly. Sapnap’s eyes widened, “You mean…”
“Yep, you two were supposed to meet on Sunday, for the blind date.” She nodded to them and they looked at each other. But like magnets, blue drew to red and they both mirrored each other’s smiles, finding the situation silly.
“I guess you are free this Sunday after all?” Punz tried again, his rings felt cold on Sapnap’s hand.
“I suppose I have time.” Sapnap bit back, trying to hold back his blush but how could he when he was in front of him, looking at him like he was his world?
“I think I’ve made a mistake.” Tina groaned, feeling deja vu from when she helped George and Karl get together.
And if Tina stood up and walked off to chat with Rae, leaving Punz and Sapnap smitten under Purple beams and no space between them, that was a secret hidden under blue fire, deep waves, bubbling lava and put-out fires.
Sapnap learnt a lot about Punz’s favourite band that night, and Punz found the solution to Ruby’s story.