Magnum Opus

Nervously rubbing his neck at the memory, Gabriel's reaction to all this was to giggle under his breath. He did have a bout of giggles whenever he was in a situation he wanted to get out of, and while he had brought it up, he hadn't expected Cain to continue it. Besides, he was certain that Tyrone wouldn't care. Felix might, because he liked Cain and had subsequently softened up, but Tyrone seemed like he wanted to be anywhere but here.

After being the cause of his parents acting like maniacs, Gabriel was sure the talk of the bullying and pain he'd gone through would comfort him a little-- and hell, if it did make Tyrone feel better, he'd gladly rattle off all the horrible things that had happened to him.

"...So... so you guys haven't been too bad. I mean, when you shoved my head down the toilet, Tyrone, that was nasty, but I was annoying you by... by following you around, so I deserved it, kinda."
 
"You didn't deserve it," Tyrone insisted with a sigh as he cracked his back, unable to hide his own growing anxiousness once approaching the border. With a passport in hand, he nudged Felix to do the same with a frown as they approached the border police, his eyes avoiding the officer. "I was projecting - that's what my therapist said. Said I was projecting all my problems on you guys, and... I'm sorry."

"That's okay," Cain replied quietly as he scrambled to grab his and Gabriel's passports, having packed them properly. Offering his brother the neat booklet, he couldn't help but smile at just how neat they were - granted, they were a way to track their family down easier.
 
That apology probably meant the most to Gabriel. If Tyrone had turned around and confessed his undying love for Gabriel, it would have been completely lovely, but the apology probably meant more than that. Gabriel had suffered quite a lot, and while Cain had his apology from Felix, Gabriel hadn't had one from anyone-- until now. It was a piece of hope he could continue to cling to.

If Tyrone had apologised and if he then got to know Gabriel as a friend, and not someone he could beat up and tease, there was a chance, however small, he could start to like him again. It might not happen, Gabriel knew that, but at least he had a little hope now, compared to none at all.

"...We can stop off somewhere when we get through here," he suggested, deciding that the hunger he felt wasn't going to be quashed by a few sweets and a sandwich. "Have a nice breakfast-- Cain and I can pay, we brought cash."
 
"You don't have to pay for us," Tyrone reassured as he glanced at Felix, silently insisting he say the same in hopes of getting sympathy from the twins. He didn't want to seem like some needy asshole, so it's no surprise that he was desperate to seem innocent.

"It's no worry," reassured Cain as he offered a shy smile, playing into Tyrone's trick easily. "I mean, we have enough money for a few days if we eat some cheap food, so... if that's okay. No fancy French crepes. McDonald's works fine."
 
"Oh, we'll definitely pay, it's really not a problem. I love fried, fast food anyway and it's ridiculously cheap a lot of the time, so we'll pay I'll pay for you, Tyrone, and Cain can pay for Felix 'cos they're sort of an item or whatever-- not that we are! We're just... kinda friends, I guess," smiled Gabriel as he shoved his passport back safely into his bag once the checks were over, finally feeling like the vacation could start. The fact they were over the border now definitely made this feel a lot more real.

"Let's stop soon, then. I-I'm really hungry. I'm always hungry. Mom says I have, like, a ridiculous appetite for someone my size. She said I ate all the food when I was a baby. I used to steal Cain's and he used to go hungry 'cos our Mom didn't know I ate his food too~"
 
"We're not an 'item', Gabe!" Cain whispered sharply as he nearly set his own passport into the bag. Technically still considered an American citizen since their mother didn't intend to stay longer than a year, he peaked over at Felix's with a curious hum.

"I stress-eat," the twin explained as he wrapped himself tighter and his blanket. "If I'm not stressed, I'm not really hungry - Gabriel needs the food more, he has a faster metabolism. I get chubby quick."
 
"You? Chubby? I can't imagine that. You're like a stick, Cain," retorted Felix as he slowed the car down a little to take in the signs on the edge of the road, smiling triumphantly at the mention of a diner just a few miles away. He definitely could do with a break, if only to be able to discuss with Cain properly what their status was: friends or something more intimate. "But hey, chubby or not, I think you're adorable, really--"

"I'm gonna get cavities, this is so sweet~! He doesn't get chubby, he just says he does. He doesn't-- you do not, Cain. I mean... you're always a perfect weight, I think. We're both lucky like that. Mom's the one with all these crazy, fad diets. She goes to this weight watching club sometimes, it's so dumb. She's perfect. L-Like... she's 34, you know? And she looks like she's in her mid-20s..."
 
"That's not true. Remember when we were in middle school? We had to move and I gained, like, fifty pounds from stress. I lost it pretty quickly, granted, but still. My body is weird like that," he insisted as he grabbed the sides of his stomach from under his wool coat, giving it a small squeeze of emphasis. "I know my weight is weird but I'm not, like... upset about it, you know? Our mom always says that 'there's more to love'... before following the next weird trend. Kids would make fun of me for it when we were younger - now, not so much. Gabe is just being nice," he insisted before offering the three a meek smile.

"Yeah, well. I don't know if I still have that scholarship anymore, but you gotta eat well if you're the captain of three sports teams. I could eat ten burgers without a second thought - Felix has seen me do it, for fuck's sake. I keep myself busy, though, unlike Felix," teased Tyrone as he offered a smile, a sign that he was at least trying to cheer the other up.
 
"Oh, fuck off. You're obsessed with the gym, you ain't got a life, Tyrone. It's fucking sad that you get up at 7am on a fucking Saturday, down some weird green juice and spend hours running on a treadmill. I'd rather be in bed, catching up on my sleep. You're actually insane," grumbled the other as he shot his best friend that same teasing grin. It was easy being Tyrone's friend, because he really didn't take much offence to things. Likewise, Felix could take a joke and be made fun off without throwing a tantrum too. It was what he liked most about their friendship, really.

"...You can tell you work hard on your body, you're very... in shape," smiled Gabriel, though he did continually glance towards his brother with that same concerned expression. "Cain, I think you're perfect, o-okay? You're cute and nice and... and you have a guy who likes you lots, so I'd rather be you than be me."
 
"First of all, that 'weird green juice' is a healthy and delicious combination of kale, carrots, apple, kiwis and coconut milk. Secondly, you're just jealous that you don't have someone cute like Gabe here admiring your body," Tyrone cooed in response as he looked at the twins from the passenger mirror, a spark of the usual Tyrone shining as he offered a sly smirk, all the while completely ignoring Cain. It was selfish, sure, but... why should he care about the older brother?

As Tyrone clearly offered a bit of a flirt, Cain tried to relax his brother with a nervous laugh and defensive hands, his eyes avoiding the other's. He wanted nothing more than to drop the conversation, yet he didn't want Gabriel to be left nervous.

"It really isn't a big deal," he whispered to his brother. "I always make sure you have more food because I don't need it. I can control myself, .so... please don't worry?"
 
"Why would I want Gabe checking me out when I have Cain doing that, dude? Cain's the better brother anyway. He doesn't dress like he's been vomited on by a rainbow, for starters," replied Felix, shooting the twins a smile just so they were away that he was just joking around. He knew Tyrone could take it, but he wasn't sure that the twins understood his sense of humour just yet-- and he really didn't want Gabriel to get upset over it. "You're both cute, alright? I just think Cain's cuter, Ty thinks Gabe's cuter. That's all."

"I... I'm just glad he finds me cute," mumbled Gabriel, happy to drop the conversation with his brother when all it did was make him uncomfortable. "...Those juices sounds delicious. I-I like healthy stuff, sometimes. My mom has juices a lot and all that healthy stuff, so... so I know what they're like. I could go to the gym, maybe. I... I don't mind. I'm not the healthiest person in the world right now, a-actually. I eat too much sugar and stuff."
 
"Yeah, well, looks can be deceiving," Tyrone commented as he eased back into his seat, letting out a yawn. When you spent the last week pretty sleepless, it was understandable to want to get a nap. "I mean, your brother bent Felix's nose and you two look pretty similar. I bet you could do the same thing to me, Gabe, no matter how many sweets you can eat," he praised quietly as the diner approached, sighing in relief.

"... Our mother is pretty strong, I guess it was inherited," grumbled Cain. It was stupid to be anxious about something so silly like being surprisingly strong, but he had plenty of people in his past thing it was ridiculous how two rather frail looking boys could beat the shit out of someone twice their size.
 
"Oh-- Oh that's true, our Mom is really strong. Like, she broke a man's nose with a punch before when he tried to grab her in the street. We get it from her, totally. A-And... And I'm sure I could hurt you, but I'm never gonna do that 'cos you... you're too handsome for me to want to lay harm on you. If... if you annoyed me, I'd just give you a punch to the gut or something instead. Not your face. It's too nice," he shyly praised in return, his arms wrapping around himself before simply -and unsubtly- holding his red cheeks in an effort to compose himself. He'd happily supported his brother and got quite giddy about Felix proclaiming his desire to date him... so to have a little flirtation from Tyrone was enough to make him feel light-headed.

He did have a habit of fainting when he got too excited, and he could feel that tiredness and dizziness hit him now, perhaps spurred on by his nausea and car sickness.

"Oh, I... I'll just sit in the car, you guys go on into the diner, I... I'll be right in, okay?"
 
"You sure?" Whispered Cain cautiously as he watched his brother for a moment, making sure he was somewhat alright. Once realizing it was one of his brother's flustered spells, he offered an encouraging smile before pecking his forehead. He proceeded to hop out of the car eagerly, seeing the opportunity to sit besides Felix in the booth.

He still wasn't quite sure what they were. Naturally, a part of Cain insisted this could all be a horrible joke. The same man had bullied him relentlessly and how he's all cuddled up close? The other part of him - the lonely part - accepted their new, strange relationship.
 
"Is your brother alright? We could bring him back something to eat if he doesn't make it into the diner-- jeez, Tyrone. Way to go, pal. You could have held off flirting until after we had something proper to eat, you know? If that kid ends up fainting and missing out on coming in for something to eat, I ain't gonna be happy," huffed Felix, though did smile to himself. He found it unintentionally hilarious, that his friend could throw a few compliments around and leave Gabriel blushing hard to the point of feeling dizzy. He knew Tyrone was conventionally attractive, but he'd never ever seen him bring a guy close to fainting before.

It was impossible not to find it rather funny.
 
"What can I say? I was born this beautiful," Tyrone replied sarcastically as he shoved his hands into his jacket's pockets as he blinked back the falling snow from his eyelashes. Wiping his face clear of snow and shaking it out of his dreadlocks once inside, he let out a heavy sigh.

"He'll be fine. This isn't the first time he's fainted, so... so don't get so full of yourself," Cain scolded lightly as he kept close to Felix unsubtly. Once facing the waiter, though, Cain immediately grew quiet and shy - sure, he'd do anything for his brother, but without the other being there, he had no motivation to be brave when faced with something seemingly so easy. In fact, he absolutely hated calling fast food restaurants and thanked whatever higher being there was for inventing online ordering.
 
It was genuinely quite hard not to just gush over Cain. It wasn't his usual style, to be overly emotional and sensitive, but Cain did bring it out of him. Now they'd at least moved on from their past of him bullying Cain and effectively making his life a living hell, he was motivated to at least date him. He had to ask him first, and that was easier said than done. He knew Tyrone could just blurt out these things, having had a few boyfriends already, but Felix hadn't had one-- and he didn't want to say the wrong thing and fuck this up before it had even started.

"...Do you want a hamburger special? It comes with fries and a free shake," he absently pointed out while examining the cutely decorated menu. "We could get the same for Gabriel-- you could take it to him, Ty. Least you could do for getting the poor kid all flustered."
 
"That sounds good," Cain admitted as he ignored Tyrone's eye roll. "It's a lot of food, so I could have it for leftovers. Would... I mean, I think Gabe would love a milkshake, too. He can't have much of it, granted - it's the only time he can have milk, though. He gets real sick with dairy, you know? Plus there's nothing better than cold fries," he babbled as he smiled shyly towards the older teen, his fingers tapping against the linoleum menu.

"I guess I can binge - like I said, I'm not the biggest food fan unless I'm stressed, you know? I went through the whole fridge when Gabe went missing..."
 
"...Yeah, well, that was a real stressful time for you and I... I remember being totally freaked out for the kid too. I ain't saying that what happened to Gabe was a good thing, it totally wasn't, but... it brought us closer, and I do really like you. A lot. I'd like to date you, really," he awkwardly began, wishing in that moment that Tyrone would just fuck off. He never really showed affection for any guy before and, while he was prepared to admit his feelings, he'd rather do it without Tyrone there to grin and smirk and tease him for it.

But he couldn't envision a moment in the near future where he'd get private time with Cain, so now was as good a time as any.
 
"... do you mean that?" He questioned quietly as he sank a tad in his seat, his cheeks mirroring his brother. Sure, Cain had his crushes throughout the years but he never really believed that he'd ever be with someone. It surprised him that he, too, was feeling the dizziness his brother often complained about. It was so bad, in fact, that he closed his eyes to regain his balance.

"I-I... I mean, this isn't a joke, right?" He whispered, his lips pursing. "This would be a really, really bad joke, Felix. You probably are going to ask me out just to go and... I-I dunno, tell the whole school. No one should like me, I-I'm weird and gross..." he babbled under his breath in response, his voice barely audible. He eventually opened an eye, though, to critically review Felix with a sniffle.
 
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