Shiny pretty things

Chapter 6

They don't talk about it. Tay is used to this part, not talking about the things that matter the most. New is an enigma and even after almost 6 months of knowing each other, Tay cannot make sense of him.

They spend the weekend together like they always do, locked in the apartment. They are all they need. One second everything is peaceful, and the next they are arguing over barmy topics because New believes he cannot be wrong about anything.

"No, Newwiee that makes no sense." He bats New's hand away. "Get your hand away from my nose. I don't believe sailors actually see merpeople."

"Then explain the little mermaid."

"That's a dumb argument."

"Yeah well—," The actor is laughing. Tay likes a laughing New. He is pretty. "Your face is dumb." And Incredibly childish.

"Your face is dumb." Tay shoots back. He is allowed to be a child with New. "All of your face is dumb."

"Pfft," New scoffs. "You love my face."

Tay does not refute that. "I quite remember someone said I looked like a prince."

"You can't hold what I say while I'm high against me. But," he takes Tay's chin between his fingers. Turns his face from side to side in a way a scientist would observe an interesting species. He does his inspection for a few seconds and clicks his tongue. "I guess you are pretty good-looking, young master."

Tay almost dies—again.

**

On Saturday evening, the two men sit in the middle of Tay's bed. White smoke twirls from New's lips and pirouettes around them. It is just smoking. It shouldn't be this attractive. But it is. It is New and Tay is so far gone on the man that he could boil an egg and he would give him a standing ovation.

"One more song," New demands.

"You've had enough."

Tay's fingers are sore from playing song after song for the actor on his guitar. He has never seen someone so terrible at dancing enjoy dancing so much. And Tay, fortunately or unfortunately, loves him too much to care that he looks like a flailing duck when dancing.

"Fine, don't play."

Silence sits with them for a few minutes. They are doing nothing but Tay is satisfied to just watch New.  The actor's legs are folded under his thighs and a half-smoked blunt dangles between his fingers. When they are together, the outside world ceases to exist. It is just them in their little bubble. He likes it. A lot. He tells New this.

"I like it too," New smiles. His eyes do not leave Tay's as he holds the blunt to his lips and takes a long drag.  "You're different." Puffs of smoke escape his lips when he speaks.

Tay's eyes are trained on them. Great! Now he's jealous of smoke. His rival is carbon fucking monoxide. He peels his gaze from the sinful lips and drags them up to his eyes. "How different?"

"I dunno." Lean shoulders rise and fall. "Just different. I like it."

"You're different too." New is unlike anyone he has ever met. "Being with you, spending time with you, it's uh," he forces the rest out. "It's nice. Really nice." He feels raw after the confession. New's silence is not helping either. He reaches for his abandoned drink on the nightstand and is miffed to see that it's too far away. "I—I mean you-er you're—,"

"It's easy with you." New cuts in before Tay can trip on his tongue any further. "Being with you is nice for me too."

Tay's sigh comes with a smile. His lips stretch so wide, his cheeks hurt. New smiles in return and warmth washes over him in waves. Tay is carried away by the currents and doesn't realize when his hand rises to New's hair. He smooths his fingers through the long tresses and is further pleased when the man nuzzles against his arm.