"Rod," Steve's voice called out in the dark.
"No, not funny, Charles," Rod groaned, sounding overwhelmed. All he wanted was to sleep, but Steve always talk.
Steve didn't care and said it anyway. "If a fly loses its wings, is it now a walk?"
Rod couldn't help but giggle.
Steve kept going. "If tomatoes are fruit, is ketchup a smoothie?"
"Shut up!" Rod snapped, his voice sharp with frustration. Steve had been rambling on and on, his endless chatter starting to grate on Rod's nerves. Sometimes, his talkative nature was charming, but right now? It was driving Rod nuts. All he wanted was a moment of peace.
"Make me!" Steve challenged.
A loud clanking of iron bars echoed through the small jail, and light spilled into the dark room. The booming voice cut through their banter. After spending an entire week in darkness, any sight of light felt blinding.
"Wake up, pathetic losers! You guys have no idea how bad you smell! Ugh..." the guard complained, wrinkling his nose.
"Maybe you should stop locking people in airtight cells for a week straight!" Steve complained back at the guard. The guard, however, ignored him, opening the cell door and tossing towels inside. "Go take a shower. Steve , Cezar wants to talk to you."
"What if I refuse?"
"Means more weeks in isolation," the guard replied. In this small bunker, they all know each other, it's a small community.
Steve's face turned sour as they walked out of the jail. Rod walked beside him and casually said, "If he only punish you, I'll wait outside his office."
Steve's eyes widened, a hint of horror creeping into his expression. "W-what?"
"You worried you won't eat soon? I'm starving too. I'll wait until he's done with you, then we can eat together," Rod said, completely clueless about what was really happening.
"N-no, you don't have to, he's going to take a very long time. Just go ahead and eat. But, uh, make sure you wrap one up for me, okay?"
"I don't mind. I mean, solidarity, brotherhood, right?" Rod raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, but... It's fine, Rod. I'd prefer it that way."
"You sure?"
"Yeah. And if you want to wait for me, we can eat together once we're back in our unit," Steve insisted.
Rod shrugged, "If you say so..."
The cold shower after a week in a dark, cramped cell was nothing short of bliss. The icy water shocked their skin at first, but the sensation soon turned invigorating, as if their bodies had come back to life.
Standing side by side in the bunker's communal shower, both naked, they silently enjoyed the rare relief.
Rod scrubbed his skin as if trying to grind away a week's worth of filth. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Steve's soap slip and fall to the floor.
"Oh dear," Steve gasped, clutching his chest as if the soap's fall was a personal betrayal. "What shall I do now?"
Rod rolled his eyes, unfazed. Knowing Steve , it was just another one of his mischievous jokes. "There's no one here but me. Just take it."
"But... but..." Steve stammered dramatically, pretending he was surrounded by predators.
"I got your butt. Just pick it up already!" Rod shot back, giving Steve a look that said his melodrama was entirely unnecessary. This wasn't the first time Steve pulled one of his stunts whenever he wanted Rod to do something for him, and it was Rod's job to drag the moment back to reality.
But the way Steve looked back at him—head tilted, hands clasped together near his chest, and eyes wide with exaggerated bashfulness—he perfectly mimicked a shy young girl caught in the gaze of her crush.
"Stop acting like that!" Rod couldn't hold it in anymore. His serious facade cracked, and he broke into a grin, followed by a hearty laugh. "I'll rub your back later, not now," he managed between chuckles.
Steve squatted gracefully to pick up the soap, deliberately exaggerating his movements with a feminine flair, before standing back up and putting on a playful, over-the-top pout. "Back-rubbing, that's all I got? Hm... fair enough," he quipped, his tone dripping with mock seduction.
Rod was still giggling, shaking his head at Steve's antics that he love so much. "You don't need to drop your soap, damn it! Just ask. It's not like I've ever refused before."
"Oh, I just want to hear your laughter, you look ... cuter that way," Steve teased, however Rod doesn't think that it was a flirt, but it's just part of his personality. There's no way someone as beautiful as him would interested in me, that's what Rod thought.
***
As promised, Rod rubbed Steve's back with a rugged towel just after the shower.
"Harder," Steve commanded, and Rod complied, rubbing harder. After a few moments, both of them burst into giggles, realizing how easily their actions could be misinterpreted.
"I swear, if someone didn't see what we're doing, they'd get the wrong idea," Rod said, scrubbing Steve's back with increased force.
"What should I say? I mean we use that word, right?"
"Yeah, it's just a word." Rod shrugs.
"Unless I do this; Mmhh... oh yeah... Rod... you're so strong...keep going... harder!! Ahh...." Steve bit his lip sensually, and Rod caught it in the mirror in front of them. He couldn't help but laugh at his best friend's antics.
"Don't stop... Rod....!" Steve purred, unbothered by the fact that they were alone in the bunker's public bathroom.
"I thought someone do something hot here," a familiar voice suddenly rang out, loud and clear.
Recognizing Cezar's voice, Rod quickly sprang to his feet, snapping into a salute. In his haste, the towel wrapped around his waist fell to the floor, but it didn't break his disciplined posture. However, Steve remained sitting on his stool, a look of disgust crossing his face at the sight of Cezar's presence. He wanted to throw up.
"Sir, we're just cleaning up, sir!" Rod reported stoically.
Cezar gave a small nod in acknowledgment, then shifted his gaze to Steve . "You both have five minutes to wrap up and meet me in my office. If you're late, there will be punishment."
Rod held his salute even after Cezar left the bathroom, his posture unwavering.
They hurriedly finished getting dressed, the ticking clock reminding them that Cezar had given them just five minutes to get to his office. It would take all of that to get to the 15th floor underground, where his office was located.
As they made their way to the elevator, the familiar buzz of the cafeteria's warmth and the scent of food lingered in Rod's mind. His eyes naturally flicked toward the open door, and there, standing amidst the bustle of serving customers, was the boy with blonde hair and blue eyes. His smile was like a beacon, radiating across the room and making Rod's attention distracted.
For a split second, Rod entertained the thought of stepping into the cafeteria just to say hello, but before he could take a step, he realized Steve had not waited for him. He kept running toward the elevator. Now, Rod was stuck in front of the cafeteria. Should he enter to say hello to Charles, risking getting punished by Cezar, or catch up with Steve ? He doesn't mind getting punished just because he approaching someone he like.
However....
There was a weight in his chest, an unexplainable emptiness that had settled when he saw Steve running ahead, leaving him behind. It wasn't just about the elevator. Rod realized that he couldn't stand being where Steve wasn't. Even if it was just a matter of a few steps, he didn't want to be anywhere other than by his side.
Rod made up his mind and ran to catch up with Steve.
They made it to the elevator, and now all they could do was wait for it to reach them from level 13.
Steve seemed surprised to see Rod catching up with him and teased, "Oh, I thought you got stuck at the cafeteria."
"Dinner can wait," Rod smiled, the words feeling lighter than usual as he looked at Steve , his gaze softening.
And for just a very brief moment, Rod noticed Steve's green eyes soften, pure happiness in his eyes as he look into Rod's eyes. At that moment, Rod realized something—Is this really Charles?He looked... softer than the Charles I knew...but damn I swear to God, he is so beautiful.Do I really deserve such beauty to smile at me like this?
But Rod have no extra time to examine further because the elevator dinged, signaling its arrival, and the doors slid open. After a few people exited, Steve and Rod stepped inside. Steve immediately pressed the button for level 15, but his worry was clear as he glanced at his watch, noticing it was already past the five-minute mark. His shoulders slumped, and a sulking expression spread across his face.
The elevator ride felt like it dragged on forever. Steve leaned his head against the wall, groaning in frustration. "Ugh... I want to throw up..." he moans, thinking about the punishment he will received. The sense of impending punishment was inevitable, gnawing at him. He hated being in this place, trapped by its hypocritical leader, and all he wanted was to escape.
Noticing his best friend's frustration, Rod nudged Steve's side with his arm. "Hey, don't worry. It's just a little punishment. Whatever he tries to make you do, I'll get myself involved."
Steve's eyes widened in disbelief. "Oh, what if he made you kneel to give... tickling happy feels on his groin area, would you do it?"
Rod paused, his laughter cutting off abruptly as he realized Steve wasn't just messing around. "What?"
"Would you?" Steve pressed, his face looked serious.
When Rod stopped laughing, his tone became serious, "If he made you do it, I'll do it for you."
Steve giggled, shaking his head in disbelief. "No, you won't."
Rod raised an eyebrow, adamant. "I mean it. I'm here now, you don't have to do it alone"
"But you surely prefers to spend some time in the cafeteria with your crush," Steve teased, a bitter smile playing on his lips.
"He got the whole world to entertain, and without me, no one will hold him back," Rod paused, his voice softening. "But you're my ride or die."
Steve's eyes widened, the weight of Rod's words settling in. He opened his mouth to push the conversation further, but before he could, the elevator dinged, and more people entered, ending their discussion abruptly.
In the cramped space, however, Steve felt a slight brush against his hand, and before he could fully process it, Rod's hand had reached out to hold his, fingers curling around his own. Steve's smile bloomed, and he couldn't help but rub his thumb over the back of Rod's hand, feeling the warmth of his touch.
But in the silence of the moment, a thought nagged at the back of Steve's mind. But you still call me by his name, instead of mine... how do I know if you're intend to hold my hand, not his?