Chapter Text
Sonny is no stranger to the peculiar tastes fans have. Having come across fandoms here and there himself before everything in his life turned upside down (in a good way, he thinks), he's intimately familiar with it; maybe even indulges it. So when Alban Knox, his wavemate and close friend, comes by to ask a question just as strange, he isn't put off.
Of course, being the most in-tune with fan culture after months of researching , Alban would also know of these things— and truly, Sonny admires him and his dedication to his craft; the same dedication that led him in front of Sonny, face tinged with a shade of red he hasn't seen on him before, and eyes darting everywhere but at Sonny, asking with uncertainty:
“Do you... want to be... romantically involved with me?”
Of course, though he's not put off, he's still struck with surprise. “...Hm?”
“It's not like that,“ Alban frantically supplies, hands waving around in front of him. “Let me explain first.” His hands abruptly settle themselves into fanning his ever-searing face.
“I'll hear you out, don't worry,” Sonny, though startled, smiles as he replies, wanting to provide some sort of comfort for the shorter boy. And it does seem to do the trick, the hesitance showing in the brunette's expression slowly being chipped away as seconds pass by.
“It's just,” Alban briefly pauses to think about what he should say. “As you know, I've been lurking around fan spaces here and there— for research, of course— and I've noticed that a great majority of big groups' fan spaces consist of fans who enjoy shipping...” he explains rapidly, still embarrassed, but his words die down by the end of his sentence.
“What I'm saying is, are you alright with doing fan service specifically catered to shipping with me?” he concludes, a shade darker than the initial red color that painted his face.
Sonny pauses, and after a while, giggles at the flushed Alban on display in front of him— a far cry from the confident and headstrong leader persona he usually upholds with his wavemates. Alban looks at him with exasperation, but there's no heat behind his gaze, only worry. He pats Alban's head with a fond smile in reassurance.
Minutes pass as Sonny quietly thinks for a bit— Alban acknowledges the silence and gives Sonny the time he needs to decide. For another moment, Sonny internally huffs in, for the lack of a better word, happiness, about this unspoken understanding that has come to form between them. Working with Alban has been a breeze, and although Sonny doesn’t quite like most people’s perception of him, he knew he was usually perceived as a distant and cold person; things that aren't befitting of an idol. It’s not that he’s incapable of warmth, it’s just that sharing warmth takes time for him; and that’s fine, he’s lived life that way without trouble and made meaningful connections just fine.
But, in an industry that requires your hospitality and smile 24 hours a day to thrive, it was Alban– whose patience was endless in detangling the person that is Sonny, who accepted the ragged strands that formed the flawed strings of his person with inexplicable sincerity, who accepted and gave space for everything of who Sonny is and who he isn't— it was this Alban that had undeniably thawed him out of the ice he was entrenched in. The Alban he thought he didn't mind doing anything for.
So although their relationship was initially formed by the forced proximity their jobs required of them, deep down, Sonny knows they are more than just coworkers.
Sonny is pulled back to reality by Alban's grounding touch, and the blonde man pauses as he catches himself thinking sappy things about the two of them again— it happens every so often now. And so, after the /one second/ that he spent thinking fondly about their friendship, he finally thinks about Alban's offer.
He trusts what Alban said, and in fact he knows: for debuting idols, they should somehow be able to form a solid foundation to hook fans in right away. Aside from their individual strengths, it has been quite apparent in multiple fan spheres that what keeps the fire in it is a good sprinkle of romantic delusions.
The pros? Gaining a fanbase for one, the possibility of their fame skyrocketing, inviting in the most financially-supportive fans (this is based off of his prior knowledge), and being the closest person in their group to Alban— probably. The cons? None that he can think of, at least not right now. No matter how he twists and turns the angle to look at this proposition around, he can only see good things happening. Everything in it for him is good, but he only has one thing left to wonder about.
“Why me, Albie?” he asks after much deliberation. Alban looks at him with confusion, and then another bout of silence for thinking lapsed between them.
“I'm the most comfortable with you, Sonny,” Alban says tenderly— with a little too much care. Sonny chooses to ignore the weird sensations it causes in his heart in favor of focusing on his friend's words.
“You're the first person that came to mind when I had the idea because, well, I thought if I had to, it would be with you.” Alban looks at him with a serene expression and a sure gleam in his eyes, as if this was the most certain he has ever been about any decision he's been made to make. Sonny internally clenches his heart.
“I'm glad we both feel the same way then,” he smiles. “Let's do it.”
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