"The second we met" |rustbert|

XXXIII. What are we?

*Albert's POV*

    "Yoink" I said as I grabbed the controller and sat back in place, I scanned through the movies looking for either a good comedy or horror movie. Nothing too good or that I hadn't seen, I continued to search and Rust then stood up "let me take this call I won't be long" he said and rushed upstairs without letting me reply, I shrug it off and continued to search for a movie, until it started to bother me, what if it was Trust on the phone? Maybe I could figure out what's going on between them or even better see if Trust was lying to him about the situation, but I'm not sure...I mean eavesdropping on someone seems messed up, and I rather that not happen to me but...I want to know what's going on if it involves me and Lana.

And so I decided to softly make my way to the stairway, I crawled on my hands and feet to get to the middle of the stairs. I started to breathe manually, scared that I might be heard and correlated my breaths to be softer than before. I had made it upstairs and carefully placed my ear against his room door or what I assumed was his room and placed my hands on the door slightly hovering them to try and make it unnoticeable that I was here.

I tried my best to figure out what they were saying but I could only listen to Rust, and as I figured he didn't sound too happy, something about "not now" and me? There could actually be a lot of options on what that means but it doesn't seem too bad, at least to me. I heard him groan off frustration and say he was going to end the call, I panicked and started making my way downstairs quickly but also quietly, I had made it downstairs and onto the couch before he came back down, though it's been a bit too long, since I found a movie and have been waiting for a bit I decided to go up to check up on him.

"Rust?" I asked and knocked softly on his door, I got no response, I stayed silent for a bit and knocked again "are you okay?" I asked and again got no response, I felt worry bubble up inside me as I knocked once more this time without a word, still nothing. I sighed and looked down as I waited. I was hoping nothing bad had happened to him there but I didn't want to invade his privacy either. The door opened abruptly and I looked up instantaneously, he looked at me and smiled, "sorry I took a while didn't I?" he said and I shook my head "no it's okay I just got, a bit worried is all" I replied and headed back down to the living room, I sat back on my spot as he made his way downstairs shortly after me.

*Rust's POV*

I felt blush tint my cheeks, I wasn't sure why but what he told me made me feel important, he genuinely cared about me...it made me feel happy.

I went back downstairs quickly and grinned "I'm back" I said and sat next to him "have you found a movie yet?" I said and turned to him, he nodded and played the movie "it's a comedy, one of my favorites" he said and I nodded turning to the TV screen.

It was a bit into the movie and I took the courage to hover my hand over Albert's and placed my hand on top of his delicately, then I stayed silent and continued to watch the movie. After a while he took my hand into his intertwining our fingers, I blushed and didn't take my eyes away from the screen throughout but I couldn't focus on the movie anymore.

*Albert's POV*

I held onto Rust's hand while watching the movie, I was still confused and wanted to know what were we? No more so what are we? Labeling things is always hard but not like this, are we friends? Or more than that? I mean surely we can't be 'just friends' but I want to know what he thinks, well I'm sure  I do wish to know what he is thinking more than just now, I've always wanted to, not only him but I think being able to read someone's mind could be very useful you know? And I'm sure it would have saved me from a lot of problems in the past, but that's not the point right now, I just want to know how he feels about me, or us? Whatever we are.

I think I'm always in this state of mind, no matter the circumstances I'm scared about what others think  about me, I always worry about the judgement of other than my own, its a bad habit I've picked up ever since I was a kid, the thought of people eating me scares me, though it shouldn't I know that I should let others opinions about me should affect the way i am but I can't help but be fearful, I'm just scared- scared of the future, of what others will imply about me when they talk about me all that stuff.

Now I'm just overthinking again, I placed my focus back on the screen and enjoyed the last part of the movie.

*Rust's POV*

I smiled throughout the whole movie, I am to admit, Albert's sense of humor is appealing, and the movie genuinely made me laugh, I didn't blame him for having it as one of his favorites, though it seems that he himself wasn't focused on the movie at all, it was weird he seemed like he zoned out or something.

The movie soon ended and I glanced over to him, he looked I'm not sure, distressed, yeah. He seemed distressed, "hey are you alright?" I asked and turned fully towards him, he looked at me and nodded "yeah sorry I got lost in thought" he laughed slightly, and I smiled "no it's okay" I replied, and still looked at him, something was bugging him, he was so tense I could feel it through his hand.

                         "Hey Rust?"

He looked me in the eyes and I looked at him back, "yeah?" I responded "what are we?" he asked, I looked at him confused "are we friends or lovers, what are we?" He repeated, I stayed silent; the question took me out for a bit I didn't know what to respond with "I'm not- I don't know" I replied, he looked away and nodded, I didn't say anything else, he let go of my hand the warmth of his hand leaving mine.

Was that what he was holding back on saying? I put my hand on my lap and looked aside, I was sure I loved him, but did he? He sounded unsure when he said lovers, or maybe I'm starting to hear things the wrong way, "do you-" I got cut off by a knock on the door, geez, great timing.

N/A: Vello! So, I've been gone for awhile but I've been planning on making a new story, I was initially planning on something about grocery gang but I'm not too sure...well not yet ;) and dw I'll still update this story til finished sorry for the slow updated xd. ALSO, I'll be fixing a few things since I just realized I skipped a roman numeral xd.