Chapter Text
Tarble sighs in annoyance as he taps away on the keyboard trying to finish up the report he is working on that isn’t even his job, but someone has to do it because his brother certainly won't, always 'too busy' with 'more important' things--so, here he is, stuck. “Uuhg!” He looks at the clock and notices it’s almost eight. He turns and sees that it is dark out and the city is now speckled by the lights of skyscrapers.
A light tap at his door startles him and he whips around in his chair. He breathes a sigh of relief when he sees Raditz, the night security guard for the building. Recognition still doesn’t stop Tarble from knocking over his pencil holder. He fumbles as he tries to regather everything back into its rightful place.
Raditz always seems to have this effect on him: making him stutter and stumble. Tarble always feels so flustered by how cool he is with his long hair and nonchalant attitude--the utility belt and heavy boots too. Tarble’s always thought the security uniform was so lip-bittingly cool with the fitted cargo pants and dark polo, especially on Raditz with his broad shoulders. It’s clear Raditz knows he wears it well too. Tarble wishes he could borrow some of that confidence once in a while.
“Sorry, didn’t mean to startle ya.”
Tarble waves him off. “You didn’t, you didn’t, I just… didn’t realize how late it was.”
Raditz crosses his arms as he leans against the doorway. “Whenever I see that someone hasn’t clocked out by the time I’m on shift, I always know it’s you. They always got you workin’ such long hours.”
Tarble huffs. “Yeah.”
“This company would probably fall apart without you.”
“Probably.” Tarble rolls his eyes as he hits the enter button and finally sends his report off without another worry. He stretches as he stands, stiff after sitting all day, and puts his notebooks and papers in his bag and slings it across his shoulders.
“Well, at least the holiday is comin’ up. Get you some well-deserved off-time, ha. Actually I--”
Tarble furrows his brows. “What holiday?”
Raditz starts. “Oh, uh, it’s Valentine’s day next Friday?”
Tarble rolls his eyes with a chuckle. “That’s not a holiday.”
“Yeah it is!” Raditz follows him out, casually checking to make sure doors are locked. “What do you have against Valentine’s day? You hate love or somethin'?”
Tarble shakes his head as he heads down a long hall. “No, I have nothing against it, I’ve just never had a date for it. So, whatever.”
Raditz pauses. “What?”
“Yeah,” Tarble grumbles.
“What do you mean you never had a date for V-day?”
“I mean girls don’t really like me? So…”
“Don’t like you? Nah, c’mon! Why would ya say somethin’ like that?” Raditz knocks his shoulder.
“Rad, Look at me. I’m like… five four and a buck thirty. I’m not exactly hot-date material.”
Raditz opens his mouth, but reconsiders whatever he was going to say.
Tarble continues with a huff. “And if I'm being honest, it’s not like there’s been any girls I’ve been crazy about either or anything. So, I’ve just... I don't know, never really had any luck in that whole department, I guess,” he admits, stopping just short of adding that he’s still a virgin.
Raditz stops and eyes him thoughtfully for a moment. Tarble stops and looks back at him. “What?”
“Nothin’, I just. Damn. That kinda blows my idea.”
Tarble raises a brow. “What was your idea?”
“Well, I had this really nice reservation at this restaurant--took me like six months and a lot of phone calls to get it, but…” He chuffs. “Would you believe it, I finally dumped my shitty boyfriend-- ex boyfriend--last week, so.”
Tarble pauses because normally when Raditz shares his life updates, it’s a funny, raunchy story, but lately he’s noticed, there have been less jokes and more venting. Tarble has secretly thought this was a long time coming; he has even been thinking Raditz deserves better than that sleeze who was always underappreciating him. “You did? I--I’m sorry to hear that,” he lies. “I thought you guys were pretty serious.”
“Yeah, I thought we were too, but last I checked, you don’t cheat on people you’re serious with and he was--” His mouth twists with displeasure over something he chooses not to share. “Anyway, I was going to ask if you wanted them--the reservations--‘cause I’m not gonna use ‘em.”
“Oh.” Tarble reels in surprise. “That’s… so nice of you. But… Yeah, no, I’m not gonna use them either. Sorry.”
“Hold on, hold on!” Radtiz throws his hands up. “New idea!”
Tarble chuckles, always amused by Raditz’ antics. “What?”
“ We go together, eh?”
“Oh.” Tarble shifts awkwardly. “That’s… also… so nice of you, but I’m… I’m not, er, Raditz, I’m--”
“Not like that, not like that,” Raditz reassures quickly, waving his hands. “Just as bros.”
Tarble snorts. “As bros?”
“Yeah. Boys night!”
Tarble wavers with hesitation. “On… Valentine’s day?”
Raditz’ joy is contagious as he grins broadly. “Yeah! We can talk shit on all the couples clearly arguing and get trashed on champagne, happy that isn’t us. And eat chocolate until we’re sick. Fuck, I love chocolate.”
Tarble laughs as he considers it.
“I know you haven’t gone out an’ had fun in ages, not with the schedule you been workin’. You deserve it. So you know what? We should celebrate ourselves. Fuck my stupid ex, and all the girls who don’t know what they’re missing with you, eh? We deserve nice things too. Happy Valentine’s day to you, from you.” He knocks Tarble shoulder. “Whadya say?”
“Actually,” Tarble concedes with a shy smile. “That does sound really fun.”
“Yeah, this place is supposed to have the best steak in the city.”
“I’m… vegetarian,” Tarble says.
“Oh. You are? Uh, well I’ll check, I’m sure they--Let me check. And I’ll get back to you, but if they have somethin’ for herbivores, do you wanna go?”
Tarble chuckles. “Yeah, alright. Why not?”
“Hell yeah. Look at you, now you got plans.”
“Yeah.” Tarble nods, smiling. “Just as… bros, though, right?”
“Yeah.” Raditz grins.
“Not a date.”
“Not a date,” Raditz reassures.
“Okay. Because I’m straight,” Tarble explains.
Raditz tilts his head, amused and somewhat bewildered by how many times Tarble clarifies the obvious. “I ain’t tryna trick ya into a date, Tarble. Trust me, you’d know if I was tryna flirt with ya. I’m a heart-on-his-sleeves kinda guy.” He winks, making Tarble laugh.
“Right, I know. Sorry. I just didn’t want there to be any miscommunication, or lead you on, is all. It’s not--I do wanna go with you, though. I think you’re--er--really cool and nice, um, to talk to, and it doesn’t bother me that you’re--I just--”
“Tarble, chill. Chill. No worries. We’re cool. Not a date, alright?”
Tarble nods and Raditz shakes his head with a chuckle. “Alright, let me get your number and I’ll text you the details.”
“Sure.” Tarble unslings his bag and roots around for his phone before handing it to Raditz. He watches Raditz thumb the screen with his tongue out in concentration and can’t help but smile because he finds it so funny when Raditz does that.
“Okay.” Raditz hands it back. “I just texted myself, so I’ve got yours now.”
“Cool, cool… sounds good. I’ll, uh…” He shifts, suddenly self-conscious of how much he’s smiling. “I’ll see you this Friday, I guess.”
“Don’t let them keep you here past close!” Raditz says as he walks towards the security desk in the front lobby.
“Yeah. Uhg.” Tarble rolls his eyes as he heads toward the doors. “Have a good night, Rad.”
Raditz waves. “You too, Tarble!”
When Tarble gets outside his heart is
racing
. He can’t explain it. But it stays pumping so loud and fast even as he walks to the train. His ears feel hot and his face flushed as he realizes he is looking
forward
to Valentine’s day now. He’s
never
looked forward to Valentine’s day, but Raditz is so
cool,
how can he not be? They talk and banter and bullshit at work when he’s there late, which is more and more often lately, but now they’re going to hangout outside of work! Tarble’s been secretly wanting to ask if he wanted to do that for weeks but
of course
Raditz beat him to it. Tarble sucks in a shaky breath through a shy smile as he hopes Raditz is as excited as he is, because he can’t fucking
wait
for their not
-
date.