We're gonna be royals

Twenty-two

There were changes.

They started going out for dates a lot, spending more time alone whether it's just going out simply for lunch or dinner. Whenever Gun caught up with his assignment or project, Off would drop by and they would call for food delivery and eat together, sharing  the food by feeding to each other playfully and turned into a nasty war as one tried to smear the food across each others faces, cackling madly with chubby cheeks, mouths full and struggling to chew the food down.

They changed too, Gun noticed.

It was subtle, vague and indistinct, and he would have missed it if he didn’t pay attention. But, Gun did. Because for some reason, being together with Off made Gun extra alert and conscious of everything’s happening around him. Like whenever they would walk side by side to cross the road with arms brushing against each other, Off would casually slip Gun's hand in his and pull him along, crossing the road after checking the roads clear. Off didn't let go even after crossing.

When all of them gathered around, Gun would find the chance to sit next to him. As they listen to Tay’s non stop chattering, somehow in between, Gun managed to lean close to the other guy. Sometimes when Tay’s stories were getting boring and repetitive, Off would pay attention to him instead and ask if he had his lunch yet. If Gun looks tired, Off would opt to buy him coffee. In some other time, if Tay’s story were something new and funny, both of them would share fits of laughter, knees bumping and invading each other’s space as Gun casually placed his head against Offs shoulder. There were no words exchanged, only understanding glance and smiles gracing their lips.

Their fights decreased, unsurprisingly. It changes from daily fights to weekly basis. And honestly, Gun doesn't really mind fighting because the fight is the foundation of their relationship. It’s just the way they are. It’s just both of them being foolish and hard-headed, pitting themselves against each other because of bruised ego, and stupid things. It always ends up with them making out at the end of the day though.

“I couldn’t decide which one is worse, you guys fighting and throwing insults or sucking face with each other” Alice blanched, chucking chips at Off and Gun as they moaned loudly, pulling at each other’s hairs.

Instead making an effort to pity their friends, Off pulled even more closer, dragging the shorter guy to sit on his lap. Gun curled his arm around him, evidently licking the inside of Off’s mouth. Tay who was sitting next to Off, had moved his chair, rolling his eyes at the aggressive groaning. He squealed when the couple kept invading his space, eventually deciding to dump his chair to move next to Alice.

“One thing for sure, they’re much more disgusting than us” Arm cackled. He rested his head on Alice’s shoulders, and pulled Alice closer by the waist, puckering up his lips at his girlfriend. 

“I seriously need new friends” Tay groaned loudly as Alice kissed Arm’s cheek in return. His nose flared at the sight. He pulled a judging face, eyes instinctively flickering over the blank screen of his phone only to gaze up back again at his friends, feeling terribly missing out at the progress Off and Gun’s making.

“This is fun. We should’ve done this much earlier” Off breathed against his mouth. “I can’t even remember what we were fighting about”

His lips are bruised in red, brown orbs clouded slightly. His black strands of hair are soft in Gun’s grasps with some of them sticking out in every other direction. Off has a warm smile on his face. The one that appears every time they are eye to eye, or when Gun is beaming at him, or whenever they talk actually. It’s a nice look on him and successfully knocking the breath out of him. But Off doesn’t really need to know about that so Gun only mumbled incoherent words into Off’s neck in response, skittering his fingertips under the taller guy’s shirt.