YouTube Drabble #1

Based on a Short I can't seem to find anymore (releasing my draft(s)).

"Why do you keep inching closer to me?"

Gallop style.

He grinned, tilting the backwards brim of his solid colored baseball closer. "You're not moving away," he said lightly, continuing to close the gap between them.

The salt & pepper bearded man was right. With a sigh, Arvic let him overtake him, stopping to let the shorter man look up at the goofy expression on Hanes's face. A cross between a smirk and grimace lay comfortably on his features, a contrast Arvic once (and still thought) only existed outside of here in daydreams.

Finally, his breath washed over the other man. Tea with strong hints of vanilla, a warmth he knew could melt the protests of Hanes's mouth. "Tell me to stop, then," he breathed, eyes twinkling underneath the cap he wore. Gray like a cloudy day's, they really brought out the brown of care in his eyes.

Playfully, Arvic pushed him. "You know I won't."

Hanes's half expression upturned, a grin blinding in its brilliance on full display. "I know."

They sat in the silence that followed, Hanes's arms wrapping around his lover's frame like clockwork as he brought his head down to Arvic's shoulder.

You're such a sap, almost came out, but I'm one to match stopped Arvic in his tracks. Instead, a hum of Ollie MN, the calm of "Please Never Fall In Love Again" filled the otherwise vacant living area. The lankier man remained there, absorbing Arvic as the man in question took in everything else.

Grounding, Arvic realized. His presence was grounding, and nothing else would matter. Could matter. Hanes's cap matched with his sweatshirt, his oversized, thin frames complementing the calm that overtook his features. Cozy came to mind as Hanes's breaths slowed to match Arvic's, the Italian's hands trailing over Arvic's chestnut brown chest.

"I like you, y'know?" Hanes murmured, making figure 8s and other shapes on his new canvas. Arvic's breath quickened at the sentiment.

"And I like that." Came the black man's reply, feeling his ears heat up as Hanes hummed a different tune.

Intertwined, Arvic realized. The song he'd shown Hanes by Dodie all those weeks ago. He hummed familiarly, like he'd known it all his life - or practiced until it was second nature. Arvic let himself get lost in the melody.

I spent each and every hope on you / I hope that you don't bleed with me

"I'm afraid," came out of Arvic instinctually, finishing the lyrics that weren't being said. Not missing a beat, Hanes switched to singing. His soft tenor voice filled the emptiness of his apartment, a private performance reserved exclusively for his younger lover.

"Of the things," he teased, "in my brain."

What were his fears? Arvic thought, pressing more of his weight against Hanes's chest. He wasn't a larger man by any means, and if Arvic wasn't careful, he could throw the taller man off his balance completely. But familiar wisped in Arvic's peripheral, as familiar adjustment of Hanes's stance better accommodated the increase in the darker one's trust of his support. Hanes held Arvic there, letting silence sing the last line by itself.

But we, can stay here / And love away the fear.