Tortoise and Fox [BL]

1.8

"Do you believe in fate, Cedric?"

The two youths sat next to each other on stools, eating. The quiet clinking of forks scraping against plates, and the smell of Alfredo sauce slightly permeated the room. They sat in silence, wordlessly enjoying their meal.

The atmosphere wouldn't quite be described as uncomfortable or awkward, but the silence was filled with heavy emotions, making it rather difficult to speak. They both seemed to realize they knew little about each other, despite the growing affection they felt. It was as if they were running a race without even setting themselves up at the starting line.

In order to fix this, they returned at the starting line. And so, Cedric began to speak.

The two conversed late into the night, dishes long since left cold and unwashed. A multitude of topics were discussed. Thought provoking, shallow, serious, lighthearted. It was a tidal wave of conversation, one that had been held back until given the proper push.

And then, again they would talk the next night. And then again, and again, and again. No matter what they conversed about or how often a topic was brought up, they never tired of it, falling deeper.

With passing days came the blossoming romance between the female and male protagonist. It was full of emotional ups and downs, misunderstandings and passionate reconnections, pushing the two closer together. Both the icy fox and meek tortoise quietly stood on the sidelines, calmly helping the pair resolve conflict, content with the slow, steady pace that their own relationship had.

One uneventful night, they decided to watch a movie Camilla recommended. Neither bothered to check out the synopsis, not realizing the movie was one she watched on one of her first dates with her childhood friend. It was a romantic tragedy, catered towards couples with the intention to grow closer together. Of course neither person knew this, as they sat on the carpeted floor, wrapped up in blankets, with the flickering lights of the television illuminating the room with a somber glow.

The story was about a young man, whom felt entrapped by his parents and their weighty expectations and poor parenting. He sought refuge in the time spent with his best friend at school, taking for granted the time they had together. Unfortunately, he didn't know his best friend was running out of time, a slow and painful death awaited him. And in the end, his best friend died, leaving the young man to mourn. Eventually he would shoulder the burden of his best friend's death and live on behalf of his memories, the young man's love long since realized and unfulfilled.

As the screen darkened with the hypnotic scrolling of credits, Felix looked over to youth beside him. The boy quietly stared at the screen, eyes slightly red, with the lingering tracks of tears on his cheeks. The boy dazedly turned to catch the taller one's staring, letting out a small sniffle. Cedric wrapped himself tighter in the blankets, rubbing his eyes gently against the soft texture.

Felix stretches his arm out towards Cedric as a simple gesture of invitation. In response, Cedric leaned into Felix's embrace and an arm comfortingly wrapped around his shoulders. They peacefully rested on each other, the movie's credits ending long ago, leaving the television a static mix of dim grays.

Cedric closed his eyes, grounding himself awake with the steady sounds of the blonde's heartbeat. Without opening his eyes, Cedric prodded curiously. "What did you think about the movie?"

Cedric enjoyed the way Felix mused his question, his eyes narrowed as he formed a coherent, thoughtful response. Cedric especially liked how when Felix listened to the few words he spoke, he would touch the moles under his eyes, concentrating on the voice in front of him. He felt the other's movements, picturing the exact way Felix gathered his thoughts.

Before long, Felix responded. "I liked the movie overall. I think it was well produced and all the actors were very animated, especially during the more tragic scenes. I do think that the comedy was slow and dragged on." His voice was a bit rough from the absence of speaking over the last couple hours. He paused, pondering a bit more. Cedric opened his eyes, intent on listening.

"I also...dislike the main character, despite the bittersweet ending and his redemption. His previous ignorance felt less like an accident and more purposeful, as if he purposefully ignored the signs in front of him about his best friend. When he found out, it felt faked, as if he didn't care at all. By the time the boy died, it felt like the main character just...let go of him, as if moving on even before he was dead. In the end, it was supposed to feel like he lived for his best friend, but instead, it looked like he indulged his desires with no time to spare for his best friend, from beginning to end."

Felix appreciated the way Cedric listened. The way he purses his lip, staring intensely out into the void, softly nodding his head in affirmation as if Felix didn't believe he was listening. He was particularly fond of Cedric's humor, and how sometimes he would laugh in the middle of a conversation, before passively explaining his train of thought.

Felix let his opinion settle in the air, patiently waiting for the youth in his arms to respond.

"I see. I can understand where you come from. Personally I feel...pity for his best friend. He loves yet his illness prevents him from speaking up. He's scared to ruin his delicately built up relationship, so he refrains from speaking, and sadly, it is his downfall. That was the tragic fate of his character."

"Fate," Felix muttered. "Do you believe in fate, Cedric?"

Cedric turned his head away from the television, toward the youth holding him, his features clearly traced by the frayed light.

Quietly confident, calm, curious.

Cedric spoke slowly as if cautious of something, "I believe fate is real, and unfortunately, has many things in store for us."

Felix returned the dark haired teenager's gaze.
"I believe that even if fate is real, it is only our actions that can defy it." Felix stopped speaking, meeting Cedric's obsidian eyes once more. He quietly mouthed two words.

May I?

With the firm belief that actions speak volumes over words, Cedric tilted his head up and leaned over, eyes closed.

And soft lips met with his.