tiny dancer

[dixnysian]

solardvsts‌.

          the  way  the  pet  name  falls  from  the  other’s  lips  has  something  stirring  within  rhys’  chest  that’s  not  entirely  arousal ,  but  something  much  warmer  than  that .  he  pushes  the  thought  away  and  instead  focuses  on  what  he  actually  knows  and  that’s  that  he  really  desires  the  boy  underneath  him .  appreciating  the  way  remi  helps  him  take  off  the  rest  of  his  clothes ,  he  can’t  help  but  pause  and  gawk  a  little  at  his  fully  naked  body .  why  didn’t  he  notice  before  how  attractive  the  other  was ?  or  maybe  he  always  knew  he  just  didn’t  let  himself  admit  it .  “ uh ,  i  guess  i’ll  prep  you  a  little  now …  so  it  doesn’t  hurt  too  much  or  anything , ”  he  sputters  out  awkwardly ,  losing  the  confidence  he  felt  before  on  the  couch  now  that  everything  was  much  more  real .  he  brings  two  of  his  fingers  up  to  his  own  mouth  and  quickly  coats  them  with  saliva  before  scooting  closer  to  remi .  slightly  spreading  his  already  parted  legs ,  rhys  brings  one  of  his  fingers  to  his  entrance ,  running  the  tip  of  it  against  it  before  he’s  pressing  it  into  him  slowly .  it’s  when  the  finger  is  completely  inside  of  him  that  rhys  stops ,  gaze  lifting  towards  remi .  it’s  not  the  first  time  that  he’s  been  in  this  position  with  the  other  since  he  had  obviously  done  it  before  the  last  time  they  had  hooked  up ,  but  at  the  same  time  it  also  feels  a  little  more  intimate  and  intense  now .  is  it  because  they’re  married  or  because  he  just  knows  him  more  now ?  as  if  to  silence  his  how  thoughts ,  he  leans  over  and  cups  remi’s  face  to  pull  their  lips  together  in  a  deep  kiss .  at  the  same  time ,  he  begins  to  slowly  move  the  finger  that’s  inside  of  him .  

if remi didn’t know any better, he’d say rhys was ogling him. the way his eyes drift over remi’s now naked body read as hungry, desirous. for whatever reason, it makes him blush despite the fact that they’d hooked up before, despite the fact that they hate each other. rhys’ awkward narration is met with a nod and remi’s teeth come to nibble down on his lower lip. “i -- it’s been a while so, uh,” he offers back in a small, embarrassed voice. be easy on me, he wants to add. go slow. thankfully, he doesn’t seem to need to pass the message along. rhys’ finger enters him cautiously and although there’s some discomfort as only spit is being used for lube, it doesn’t hurt. he feels incredibly tight around the single digit, an obvious testament to his previous statement. his face is an open book to rhys now, expression contorting first to show his adjustment to the intrusion but slowly relaxing as he works it knuckle deep. he expects the rest of the prep to be just as by-the-book, a means to an end. he doesn’t expect more kissing, especially not the tender, deep kind that makes his toes curl. remi can’t help but moan into rhys’ mouth as the finger starts to move, stretching him open with just that slight bit of resistance that makes him shiver. the more he moves, the more sounds remi makes. always a vocal bedmate, he really can’t help it -- and that’s just one finger. “more?” he gasps against rhys’ lips, tipping his chin to bump their noses together. his eyes are closed, lashes fluttering against his own skin. he’s so beyond turned on, trills of it shooting through his body with each of rhys’ movements -- not just his hand, but the way his form completely covers remi’s and shifts overtop of him with some sort of familiarity. it’s dizzying, how badly he wants this boy, his husband.

[dixnysian]

solardvsts‌.

       it  was  a  test  as  much  as  it  was  an  offer  to  see  if  remi  really  wanted  him  in  the  same  way .  as  much  confidence  as  he  had ,  there  was  a  part  of  rhys  that  could  hardly  believe  that  he  was  about  to  have  the  other  under  him  and  in  the  most  delicious  way  possible  there .  the  words  that  left  remi’s  lips  made  him  flush  a  bit  at  the  way  he  sounded  as  if  he  was  almost  pleading  for  him ,  which  made  arousal  stir  within  him .  rhys  stumbled  a  bit  as  he  lead  the  boy  down  the  hallway  of  the  many  rooms  to  his  penthouse .  he  managed  to  find  the  door  to  his  bedroom ,  the  fresh  scent  of  eucalyptus  hitting  his  nostrils  from  the  candle  that  was  lit  on  top  of  his  dresser .  the  smell  almost  fit  what  was  about  to  happen ,  he  thought  with  an  amused  chuckle .  rhys  didn’t  waste  any  time  to  make  his  way  to  the  bed ,  pulling  remi  along  with  him  and  pushing  him  gently  so  that  his  back  was  against  the  egyptian  cotton  sheets  that  he  vaguely  remembered  him  complaining  about  that  time  he  had  to  sleep  over .  instead  of  soft  and  cautious  as  before ,  his  actions  were  much  more  fervent  and  desperate  as  he  practically  straddled  remi  before  tugging  his  shirt  upwards  and  motioning  for  him  to  take  it  off  and  then  doing  the  same  with  his  pants .  he  then  gazed  at  him  in  his  drunken  haze ,  his  eyes  sweeping  over  the  length  of  his  body .  “ gorgeous , ”   he  muttered  under  his  breath ,  his  intoxication  making  him  say  the  things  he  would’ve  otherwise  kept  inside  his  head .  leaning  down ,  rhys  pressed  his  lips  against  the  soft  skin  of  remi’s  stomach ,  taking  a  moment  to  kiss  along  the  skin  there .  the  trail  of  kisses  stopped  right  above  the  waistband  of  remi’s  underwear  and  rhys  stopped  to  meet  his  gaze  as  if  to  ask  once  again  if  it’s  really  what  he  wanted . 

they made quite the pair -- both dizzy and swaying on their trek back to the bedroom. hand in hand, remi tried not to think too much about, well, anything. tonight was an anomaly, something that could happen once and then never again. they were simply caught in a state of mutual want and deprivation and after they crack open the proverbial dam, they’ll both just be alleviated of the guilt that’s keeping them faithful to one another. they’d go out into the world again and have their fill -- surely, tonight was just the restart to both of their sex lives and didn’t mean anything further. rhys’ room smells expensive -- even a drunken remi can experience that. he follows along without complaint and even lets himself be pushed back onto too-soft sheets. they feel nice against him now, though maybe that has more to do with the fact that he’s distracted by rhys climbing over him, lean muscles fully on display. it took some careful maneuvering but finally, remi manages to strip down to his tiny boxer briefs somehow without scaring rhys off or upsetting their position any. the compliment makes him genuinely flush and though a rush of disagreeing points springs to his lips, remi, for once, keeps quiets. his own insecurities feel quieted by rhys’ praise and he doesn’t know what to make of that. his breathing speeds as does his pulse, feeling wet hot kisses trailing down the planes of his trim chest, nose tickling tiny hairs as he reaches his waistband. “oh god,” he bites back a preemptive moan, fully grasping what rhys intends to do. then he’s giving his nod of consent, adding a breathy whisper of “yes, please babe.” the pet name comes off his tongue a little too easily. he lifts his hips up off the bed to make it a little easier, heels digging into the mattress where his legs have parted.

[dixnysian]

solardvsts‌.

       even  with  the  haziness  in  his  mind ,  rhys  could  feel  himself  falling  further  and  further  in  his  desire  towards  the  smaller  boy  underneath  him  and  feel  himself  losing  his  grip  on  holding  it  back .  the  biting  on  his  lower  lip  had  rhys  releasing  his  own  breathy  noise  of  desire ,  his  eyes  fluttering  shut  for  a  moment .  that  was  when  he  realized  that  he  really  didn’t ,  and  couldn’t ,  hold  back  from  what  he  wanted  and  what  he  wanted  at  that  moment  was  right  in  front  of  ( or  beneath )  him .  coming  to  that  conclusion ,  rhys  let  his  hands  wander  down  to  the  hem  of  remi’s  shirt  where  his  fingertips  danced  over  the  fabric  before  sliding  under  to  touch  over  the  warm  skin  of  his  stomach  as  their  hips  continued  to  clash  together  in  a  kind  of   delicious  rhythm .  “ want  you , ”   he  whispered  out ,  breathing  in  deeply ,  finally  voicing  his  desire .  not  much  had  been  said  since  they  had  started  kissing  and  so  rhys  wasn’t  sure  if  remi  wanted  to  give  in  to  the  arousal  they  both  so  obviously  felt  and  so ,  as  if  to  test  it ,  he  pulled  away  from  remi’s  grasp  and  reached  down  to  pull  off  his  own  shirt  before  discarding  it onto  the  floor .  “ want  to  come  to  my  room ?  ”   he  asked  him  suggestively ,  licking  over  his  lips  as  he  wondered  if  remi  would  take  the  offer .  

    oh, he’s turned on. it’s a sudden and jarring realization for the drunken boy. as willing and tactile as he is, it still comes as a surprise how quickly his body reacts to rhys’. then again, can he really be blamed? he has an objectively hot boy hovering over him, making pretty noises and allowing wandering hands to ghost all over remi’s body. fingertips even make contact with his skin which sends a jolt through his veins and draws a shiver from head to toe. “yeah?” he keens in reply to rhys’ whisper, their breaths mingling hotly between barely parted lips. remi wants to keep kissing, to chase the taste of rhys’ tongue deeper and deeper still. but before he can arch himself up to continue their kiss, rhys is pulling back. remi pouts and he has half a mind to even complain, needy little thing he is, but then rhys’ arms are making quick work discarding his shirt and oh, again. it hits remi very suddenly, arousal burning in his throat and settling in a pool of heat low in his stomach. he’s nodding before rhys changes his mind, surging upwards to run tiny hands down the toned muscles of the other’s chest. touching leaves his palms hot but its his cheeks that burn the warmest. “i need you,” he pleads but with a tint of confidence that’s bolstered by rhys having been the one to move first, the one to offer. another bob of a nod and remi’s scrambling to shaky feet, hands clinging to rhys the best he could so that the other could lead the way with ideally a pinch of sobriety, though they’re both in much the same state.

[dixnysian]

solardvsts‌.

        rhys  heard  the  moan  from  remi  and  there  was  a  part  of  him  that  wanted  to  hear  more  of  that  sweet  sound ,  to  want  to  be  the  reason  for  it ,  except  that  was  something  that  he  wouldn’t  admit  to  anyone  out  loud .  not  even  a  couple  moments  after  he  felt  the  other  part  his  lips  invitingly ,  rhys  slid  his  tongue  past  the  plush  lips  and  into  his  mouth .  the  kiss  was  quickly  turning  into  something  much  more  deep  and  desire-fueled  than  he  had  originally  intended  when  he  had  practically  begged  remi  to  kiss  him  with  his  gaze ,  but  he  had  been  so  touch  starved  during  the  last  few  weeks  of  being  married  to  remi  that  there  was  no  way  that  he  could  complain  about  it .  words  weren’t  needed  for  rhys  to  understand  the  invitation  that  the  change  in  position  entailed  and  he  was  quick  to  accept  it ,  pressing  his  own  body  against  remi’s  so  that  there  was  practically  no  space  between  them .  his  tongue  ran  over  remi’s  in  a  sensual  and  bold  way  that  was  obviously  fueled  by  the  alcohol  in  his  system .  the  taste  of  remi  mixed  with  the  wine  on  his  tongue  was  making  his  mind  spin  and  so  when  his  hips  began  to  slightly  grind  against  him , it  felt  as  if  it  was  his  body  moving  all  on  its  own .  

with rhys’ tongue in his mouth, a warmth curls through remi’s body that has absolutely nothing to do with the alcohol humming in his system. if he had to put a name to the sensation, he’d say it was desire -- unbridled and unwarranted desire. they only have one another’s body language to read as an instruction manual as they step into (mostly) unfamiliar territory. a single passionate one night stand was far from enough time to familiarize themselves with each others bodies in this way, especially since remi can’t remember feeling this good when they hooked up all that time ago. thankfully, something seems to have clicked into place and remi can tell without a doubt that rhys is into this -- just as easily, he’s putting out his own signs of want for more and rhys seems to understand. the grind of hips against his own draws another shivery sound from remi’s lips, barely lost in the exchange of a kiss. he curls his tongue hotly around rhys’ as his back arches to meet him halfway. chest-to-chest, he clashes their hips together more purposefully, allowing a slow drag of their bodies to the beat of some unheard music until his skin breaks out in goosebumps. remi only pulls back from the kiss to tease a bite to rhys’ lower lip, tugging him closer, closer, always closer. his teeth nip and irritate the pretty plush of rhys’ lip before surging up into the kiss with abandon, room spinning as his eyes close. “fuck,” he whispers against rhys’ mouth, too lost in the moment to do much else other than barely conceal the stirrings of arousal tempting him.

[dixnysian]

solardvsts‌.

     the  hand  under  his  chin  was  too  soft  to  be  from  someone  that  was  rhy’s  so-called  enemy ,  but  their  supposed  hatred  for  each  other  was  the  last  thing  on  his  mind  as  every  nerve  ending  of  his  practically  screamed  for  remi’s  lips  on  his  own .  if  he  were  sober ,  he  would’ve  seriously  been  questioning  why  he  wanted  to  kiss  him  that  badly  when  most  days  he  could  barely  see  his  face  without  throwing  a  fit ,  but  he  luckily  had  the  excuse  of  the  alcohol  for  his  actions  and  thoughts .  the  minute  their  lips  connected ,  rhys  felt  his  eyes  flutter  shut  at  the  feeling .  after  a  moment ,  he  relaxed  into  it  and  into  remi’s  soft  touches  as  if  it  were  the  most  natural  thing  in  the  world .  his  mind  was  spinning  with  thoughts  of  remi  and  how  how  soft  his  lips  were  and  how  much  he  liked  kissing  him .  maybe  in  the  morning  when  he  was  sober  he’d  refuse  to  admit  that  such  a  thought  ever  crossed  his  mind ,  but  at  least  in  that  moment  he  could  forget  about  that .  the  thing  with  rhys  and  the  things  he  enjoyed  is  that  he  became  almost  greedy  about  it  and  wanted  more  ( blame  it  on  the  fact  that  he  was  a  rich  boy  that  always  got  what  he  wanted ) ,  and  so  the  kiss  felt  too  soft  for  his  liking  because  he  had  been  starved  from  it  for  so  long .  shuffling  closer  to  remi  so  that  their  legs  were  practically  touching ,  rhys  brought  a  hand  up  to  tangle  in  the  threads  of  remi’s  soft  hair  as  they  kissed .  he  couldn’t  remember  the  last  time  they  were  this  close  without  being  forced  to  act  like  a  couple  in  front  of  someone .  maybe  the  last  time  had  been  when  they  were  hooking  up ,  but  even  then  this  felt  different  than  back  then  and  he  couldn’t  quite  understand  why .  

     it’s better than their kiss at the carnival -- or maybe remi just thinks that because he initiated and it’s lasting longer. he’s getting the proper time he desires to really feel rhys’ mouth move against his own, to taste him. the thought makes him giggle a little into the kiss, sound swallowed down by rhys’ lips. just as remi suspects they’ll break for air, rhys is coming closer, crowding more into remi’s space and aligning their bodies in such a way that makes remi’s cheeks heat up. fingers knot in soft hair, guiding him deeper into the kiss which, naturally, makes remi moan. he’s sensitive to touch and he’s always been vocal; it can’t be helped. what started as soft, tender and timid was quickly sparking into a flame, fiery and burning from the inside. rhys was taking all that remi was willing to give and the longer they connected, explored, the more remi slipped into willingly submission. so much so that remi finds his lips parting in a breathless invitation, seeking out more of alcohol-tinted breath mingling with his own. in a small showing of strength, his arms lock around rhys’ neck and he tugs him closer, pulling him over top of remi’s  body. a thigh slots between his legs and he shivers, waiting to see if this change of position was okay, if his clearly frisky invitation was going to be answered.

[dixnysian]

solardvsts‌.

        even  with  the  hazy  mist  of  the  alcohol  clouding  rhys’  mind ,  he  could  still  tell  that  his  words  had  an  effect  on  remi .  the  soft  flush  that  spread  across  his  cheeks  caught  his  attention  and  he  couldn’t  help  but  admire  it .  so  pretty ,  comes  the  thought  all  on  its  own .  with  a  shake  of  his  head ,  he  waved  it  away  and  tried  to  compose  himself  again .  leaning  back  onto  the  couch ,  rhys  watched  as  the  other  drank  from  the  wine  glass .  his  gaze  settled  on  remi’s  soft  lips ,  but  he  forced  his  gaze  away  once  he  realized  what  he  was  doing .  it  was  when  the  other  spoke  that  he  looked  at  him  again .  licking  his  lips  ( purposely ,  since  he  knew  remi  was  looking  at  them )  and  nodded  his  head .  “ i  think  so  too , ”  he  agreed ,  but  he  knew  that  he  wasn’t  talking  about  the  wine .  “ let  me  get  more . ”  with  the  wine  glass  in  his  hand ,  rhys  leaned  for  the  wine  bottle  that  was  resting  upon  the  coffee  table  to  pour  more  wine  into  the  glass .  due  to  his  lightweight  nature  and  the  alcohol  that  he  had  consumed ,  rhys  lost  his  balance  and  crashed  against  remi .  “ sorry , i- ”   he  began ,  lifting  his  head  and  finding  that  their  faces  were  inches  apart .  he  could  see  every  feature  on  remi’s  face  and  was  frozen  in  place  for  a  moment  before  his  gaze  flicked  to  the  lips  that  were  dangerously  close  to  his  own .  he  wanted  so  badly  to  kiss  him ,  but  his  eyes  flickered  up  to  look  into  remi’s  as  if  to  ask  if  he  wanted  it  too  because  even  while  intoxicated ,  he  couldn’t  bring  himself  to  say  it  out  loud .   

the room is already spinning and that’s without rhys crowding his space and scrambling any last hope for coherent thoughts. remi’s head’s gone fuzzy and his heart races to a million miles an hour trying to keep up with rhys’ sudden proximity. if he were sober, he may have the presence of mind to analyze why rhys is causing this sort of reaction when they very clearly hate each other. as it stands, hatred is the last thing on remi’s mind; focusing on rhys’ touch, his lips, the smell of his cologne and the way he makes remi’s breathing stop seems far more important. whether it’s to help the other get his balance back or simply because he just can’t help it, one of remi’s hands curls under rhys’ chin, holding his face with a delicateness and reverence more suitable for husbands than enemies. the softness of the moment only lasts a second. a sober remi -- while he wouldn’t have ended up in this position in the first place -- definitely would have asked for audible consent. while rhys’ eyes, lips and body language were all screaming kiss me, without the alcohol, remi would’ve needed the question asked by one of them, at least. even a nod would do. but remi’s not sober and he has gotten himself into this position and rhys is just so close and smells so heavenly and he’s looking at remi’s lips, there’s really nothing else to be done. surging forward with eyes fluttering shut, he connects their mouths with a little too much fervor. he’s desperate to get a taste of him, maybe -- to chase the wine on his tongue. at first it’s more teeth than anything but, as seems to be the case with the two of them, they settle into some inherent sense of familiarity, moving into the kiss like it’s something they’re meant to be doing. remi’s certainly missed it since the faked peck at the fair. he’s not going to keep this kiss brief though his touches are still soft. rhys could pull away, if he’d like. 

[dixnysian]

solardvsts‌.

         all  rhys  could  do  was  shake  his  head  in  response  to  remi’s  drunken  words ,  his  own  head  starting  to  spin  from  the  alcohol  he  had  had  prior  to  the  other’s  arrival .  he  silently  cursed  himself  for  being  such  a  lightweight  and  not  being  able  to  handle  it  well .  the  way  remi  grasped  onto  his  hand  told  rhys  everything  he  needed  to  know  about  his  state  of  mind .  there  was  no  way  that  he’d  willingly  hold  onto  him  like  that  if  he  was  sober .  “ the  reason  you’re  here  is  because  you’re  drunk .  you  don’t  like  me ,  remember ? ”  he  tried  to  reason  with  remi  but  his  words  came  out  slightly  slurred  and  he  had  to  shake  his  head  a  little  to  keep  himself  focused .  he  couldn’t  risk  losing  it  around  his  current  company .  ignoring  remi’s  pleas ,  rhys  continued  to  drink  from  his  glass  of  wine .  it  was  only  when  he  felt  the  other  crawl  towards  him  that  he  paused ,  peering  over  at  him .  he  found  himself  suddenly  entranced  by  the  expression  on  his  face .  it  was  rare  to  see  remi  smiling  instead  of seeing  his  face  contorted  in  annoyance .  “ you’re  so  pretty , ”   he  found  himself  breathing  out ,  not  meaning  for  the  words  to  be  anything  more  than  just  a  thought .  before  he  even  realized  it ,  rhys  was  leaning  forward  towards  remi  as  if  in  a  trance .   their  faces  were  inches  apart  before  he  realized  what  he  was  doing  and  immediately  pulled  back .  “ i-  uh ,  here  you  go , ”   he  stammered  out ,  pushing  the  glass  of  wine  towards  him  to  distract  from  what  had  just  happened .  

     remi may be drunk (very drunk, even) but he still feels a flush creep onto his cheeks and dust across his nose at the compliment. maybe it’s because it’s so unexpected. rhys doesn’t say things like that to him; honestly, he doesn’t think he’s ever heard it once. they’re constantly bickering, at each other’s throats. even if a physical attraction had been present at one point, it’s taken the backseat to their fights and, even then, had never really been something soft. “pretty?” he repeats with an awed tone and expression. then rhys is coming closer and even through the haze of his alcohol content, remi’s heart starts to race and he finds it harder to breathe. they’re going to kiss. remi’s certain of it. he’s also very certain that it’s exactly what he wants and so his eyes gently flutter closed and he waits for the sensation of lips meeting his own. he’s left in want, though, as rhys yanks himself away and replaces his attention with the glass of wine. in his current state, it feels a lot like rejection and remi’s demeanor sinks. his eyes open to accept the goblet, settling back on his haunches to tip a generous gulp down his throat. it tastes expensive, not that he can ordinarily tell the difference, and he very nearly drains the entire cup just out of spite. how dare rhys tease him with a kiss and then not deliver! with a dramatized pout, he pushes the glass back into rhys’ hand, leaning into his space with intention. “finish it?” he coos, eyes locking on rhys’ now wine-stained lips. he’s shameless, really. “it was very tasty.” remi leaves it ambiguous whether or not he’s talking about the wine -- he’s certainly not looking at it.

[dixnysian]

solardvsts‌.

      rhys  could  smell  the  alcohol  radiating  off  remi  as  he  pushed  past  him  and  he  could  tell  that  he  must’ve  had  enough  drinks  for  a  small  village .  usually ,  remi’s  intoxicated  state  would’ve  been  entertaining  for  him ,  but  instead  he  was  confused  as  to  why  his  penthouse  was  the  place  he  ended  up  in  out  of  all  possible  places . the  words  that  left  the  other’s  lips  made  him  chuckle  at  how  there  was  no  sense  to  them  at  all .  “ i  think  you’re  here  because  you’re  drunk , ”  he  corrected ,  closing  the  door  before  turning  to  look  at  him  fully .  rhys  could  tell  from  the  oddly  bright  smile  on  his  face  that  he  was  out  of  it .  that  was  a  problem  for  him  since  he  didn’t  think  he  could  just  kick  him  out  of  his  home  while  he  was  in  that  state .  “ come  here , ”  he  told  him ,  with  a  sigh .  figuring  that  remi  was  too  drunk  to  follow  his   instruction ,  rhys  went  over  to  him  and  grabbed  his  hand ,  leading  him  to  the  couch  and  sitting  him  down  before  taking  a  seat  next  to  him  ( not  that  close  because  even  though  he  wasn’t  arguing  with  remi ,  he  wasn’t  about  to  get  that  friendly  with  him ) .  “ you’re  going  to  sit  there  and  i’m  going  to  drink  wine  because  you’re  already  too  drunk  and  i’m  not  about  to  stop  my  wine  time  just  because  you’re  here . ”   and  with  that ,  he  reached  for  his  glass  of  wine  and  brought  it  to  his  lips  to  take  a  much  larger  drink  than  usual  because  he’d  definitely  need  it  if  he  was  going  to  be  babysitting  a  very  intoxicated  remi  all  night .

“noooo!” protests remi loudly -- far louder than he would have been sober. he shakes his head a few times for added effect “i’m drunk because we’re married?” he tries then instead, admittedly a little dizzy from his own frantic gesturing. the statement is somewhat of a half truth and if he thinks about it too much, it might make him sad. it’s a good thing rhys is guiding him with a physical touch because as much as he would’ve wanted to, there was just no way he’d have been able to make it the short distance himself. the room’s already spinning. remi keeps a tight clutch on rhys’ hand, even as he’s being gestured to his seat. he huffs dramatically, lacing their fingers together in the space between their bodies. “we’re s-supposed to share the wine,” remi pouts, eyeing the goblet enviously. “i’m not too drunk! too drunk wouldn’t be able to remember your address.” he couldn’t remember his own but he doesn’t say that bit. it feels like the kind of thing one shouldn’t admit to when trying to prove a lack of intoxication. “just a sippy?” remi pleads, leaning up on his knees and only dropping rhys’ hand to start crawling towards him. “only one -- i’ll be good after.” he cocks his head and shoots rhys another glittering smile, adding an edge of hopefulness to his expression. still, he doesn’t make a move for the glass, instead watching it rise to rhys’ lips. 

[bwisan]

[dixnysian]

jaaehyunism‌.

Jaehyun knew that he wouldn’t be able to convince his best friend that his hair looked fine until Remi was done trying to fix it on his own so he didn’t even try. “I’m proud of you for resisting, now we can stuff our faces on cotton candy and get a sugar high together!” He chuckled softly,  smiling warmly as Remi linked their arms together and leaned against him.  “Sounds good!  But we’ll pick an easy one so we can both win.” Remi’s attempt to act cute to get him to give him the prizes made Jae laugh softly.  “Sure, I’ll get you a cute teddy bear but you’ll have to name him after me. Let’s try the ring toss first!” Jae guided them towards the game, smiling at the worker that greeted them and asking if they could take a few practice shots first. The guy nodded, passing them the rings but holding on to Jaehyun’s hand for longer than necessary. That made him blush a bit before he retrieving his hand and stepping with Remi to the side so they could practice. With his eyes, the model was asking his not to mention what had just happened. The worker was still looking at them and would probably be able to hear their conversation. “The key here is to know where to aim.” He explained, before throwing one of the rings and getting it on. “See? Told you it was easy! Now, you try it.” 

     free of rhys and free of his ex, remi was finally letting himself relax. jaehyun tended to have that effect on him, though, allowing remi to be his truest self. especially since the conversation wasn’t veering back towards either of the aforementioned boys, remi’s smile grew more natural and his demeanor brightened. his eyes linger on the encounter between jaehyun and the stall worker, wondering why the two seemed so familiar (and why it caused his friend’s cheeks to pink). he files it away to ask about later, preferably when out of earshot of the man in question. it was bizarre to say the least -- jae definitely had a boyfriend and, at least to remi, seemed very much in love. “i know where to aim,” the smaller boy pouts, accepting a ring of his own and poking his tongue out to try his best. “but i’m rubbish at these things, even when i actually try. that’s why you have to win me the teddy! you’re my only hope!” remi gives his ring a throw and, sure enough, manages to miss every bottle. he lets out a pathetic little whine and points dramatically. “i told you so!”

[dixnysian]

solardvsts‌ || rhys.

*   ╰     @dixnysian

       rhys  almost  couldn’t  remember  the  last  time  he  had  a  weekend  to  himself  to  just  relax  and  no  worry  about  anything .  he  always  had  to  either  work  or  deal  with  some  annoying  demands  from  his  parents  even  though  they  weren’t  even  living  near  him .  the  last  weekend  he  had  off  was  for  the  carnival  and  that  wasn’t  exactly  the  most  relaxing  getaway .  even  days  later  whenever he  thought  about  the  events  of  the  carnival ,  especially  that  particular  moment ,  his  face  would  flush  red  and  he  hated  it .   maybe  if  it  had  been  anyone  else  but  remi  that  he  had  kissed  and  reacted  that  way  about ,  he  would’ve  almost  thought  that  he  actually  enjoyed  the  kiss ,  but  there  was  no  possible  way  that  he  did .  waving  the  thoughts  from  his  mind ,  rhys  went  over  to  the  kitchen  and  served  himself  a  glass  of  wine  as  a  treat  for  himself .  going  back  into  the  living  room ,  rhys  leaned  back  into  the  couch  and  sipped  from  the  wine  as  he  tried  to  relax.  not  even  a  full  minute  later ,  there  was  a  knock  at  the  door .  a  huff  left  his  lips  as  he  set  the  glass  of  wine  onto  the  coffee  table  and  walked  over  to  the  door .  opening  it ,  his  brows  lifted  in  surprise  when  he  saw  who  was  there .  “ remi .. what  are  you  doing  here ? ”  he  questioned ,  confusion  on  his  features .  “ jae  isn’t  here  if  that’s  who  you’re  looking  for . ”

     remi can’t quite pinpoint the moment he went from buzzed to beyond tipsy to flat out drunk, just like he can’t quite remember when he started drinking in the first place. he does know that he was out with his cirque mates and pregamed sometime beforehand, laughing and dancing as the night began. he also knows that, as they arrived at their destination, he was knocking them back way too fast for someone of his size and habits, not balancing them out with any water or food to absorb the effects. he hit his limit far sooner than anyone else, the evening still young, and so someone called him an uber which is how he ended up... here. ‘here’ was decidedly not his own shabby apartment and he very nearly opens up the ride sharing app to leave a strongly worded (intoxicated) negative review. however, he sees that he did indeed type rhys’ address instead of his own pretty quickly and so, he does what any slightly impaired, giggly boy would do and he knocks on the door. rhys answers himself which surprises remi -- he’d half been expecting a butler, towel draped over his arm. what was that towel for anyways? remi snickers at the thought, bringing a dainty hand up to his lips before he pushes past rhys and into the entry. “i’m here because... we’re married,” his words slur a little and his logic has no basis. he props himself up against the wall and shoots an uncharacteristic beam rhys’ way. “you smell like wine, are you drinking?” a bold observation for someone who smells like a veritable cocktail. he doesn’t register the confusion and surprise on rhys’ face, instead simply delighting in the attractive company. “pour me a glass?”

[dixnysian]

solardvsts‌ || rhys.

         rhys  new  that  his  face  is  red ,  he  could  feel  the  burn  of  his  cheeks  in  a  very  obvious  sign  of  how  flustered  he  was .  even  moments  after  their  lips  had  touched ,  the  softness  of  remi’s  lips  still  lingered  on  his  own .  the  thought  of  that  only  made  his  face  even  redder .  he  didn’t  want  to  glace  at  remi  after  that .  the  only  thing  that  let  him  know  that  he  was  still  there  was  the  fact  that  his  much  smaller  hand  was  in  his .  as  they  walked  to  the  food  stall  that  was  a  couple  feet  away ,  rhys  could  feel  the  eyes  of  people  they  passed  by  on  him .  the  look  in  their  eyes  was  more  fond  than  judgmental  and  he  could  only  assume  it  was  because  the  two  of  them  looked  like  a  happy  young  couple  that  had  just  experienced  something  romantic  and  that’s  why  his  face  was  as  red  as  it  was .  and  maybe ,  in  a  way ,  it  could  be  considered  romantic  to  kiss  under  the  lights  of  the  carnival  if  it  was  any  other  two  people  that  weren’t  rhys  and  remi .  hearing  a  whisper  behind  him ,  rhys  peered  towards  the  other  out  of  the  corner  of  his  eye ,  not  yet  trusting  himself  to  fully  turn  his  face .  i  don’t  fucking  know  was  the  thought  that  popped  into  his  head  and  that  was  his  real  answer ,  but  he  knew  that  wasn’t  good  enough .  it  didn’t  explain  his  actions  at  all .  “ he  wasn’t  going  to  believe  it  if  i  just  held  your  hand .  i  looked  at  him  and  he  was  looking  at  us  all  suspiciously , ”  was  the  answer  that  left  his  lips  instead ,  his  words  coming  out  a  lot  more  breathless  than  usual .  that  was  all  he  said  because  soon  enough ,  they  were  at  the  food  stall  and  safe  from  the  view  of  remi’s  ex .  rhys  was  thankful  that  it  was  a  slightly  long  distance  that  they  had  walked  because  it  gave  him  face  time  to  fade  to  a  much  more  manageable  shade  of  pink ,  one  that  could  be  explained  by  the  exertion  of  the  walk  to  the  stall  or  the  glare  of  the  carnival  lights .  looking  over  remi’s  shoulder ,  he  noticed  that  his  ex  was  nowhere  in  sight  and  that  was  when  he  decided  to  let  go  of  his  hand ,  knowing  the  contact  would  only  make  things  worse .  “ i  have  to  go .  i  forgot  i  had  something  to  do  and  since  your  ex  left ,  i  think  you’re  good  now . ”  it  was  abrupt ,  but  rhys  didn’t  think  he  could  handle  being  there  anymore  and  he  wasn’t  up  for  an  argument  about  the  kiss ,  so  he  turned  to  leave .  “ if  you  happen  to  see  jae ,  say  hi  to  him  for  me . ”

     as someone who has been kissed plenty, it’s saying a lot that this one with rhys has him so startled. it’s because of their animosity, he reasons with himself. it’s because he knows it’s acting. that’s why it feels so incredibly different upon his lips and why he keeps going over the taste in his head. nothing more than that. “ah,” he agrees casually; rhys’ explanation makes sense and, frankly, he’s grateful for it. the more reminders that the kiss wasn’t anything actually romantic, the better. maybe he’ll stop blushing now. “thanks, then. i needed it to be believable.” if he thinks about it, rhys doesn’t sound quite as cocky as he does normally. he sounds maybe just as taken aback by the kiss as remi which goes to show that it wasn’t something either of them had planned nor staged. the fact they even have it looking somewhat passable is an impressive testament to both their acting and improv skills. he lets their hands drop and nods once, twice. it’s sudden, rhys’ departure, but not exactly unwanted. any longer in the other boy’s presence and he might actually start to enjoy himself despite everything. “i’ll pass that... along.” rhys is already halfway to leaving by the time remi replies so he’s instead left on his own to ponder their little act. the more people who believed they were actually married, the harder it was becoming to untangle. a simple hit of the undo button wouldn’t entirely work, now. but they were in this together, whether they wanted to be or not. 

[dixnysian]

jaaehyunism‌ || jaehyun.

 “Because it’s also fun! And thrilling!” Jaehyun let out the last part as a shout as they descended, eyes closing shut. Sure, it was scary for a moment but the surge of adrenaline coursing through his veins made him feel alive. Was nice to let himself go and just enjoy the ride with his best friend. Up there on the roller coaster he could forget about his problems, at least for a while. Jae could hear Remi screaming next to him, and he sure did the same a couple times, until the model was finally able to open his eyes and have fun. “See? I told you it’d be great!” He said, giggling a bit as he looked over at Remi and saw the state his best friend’s hair was at. “Oh God, you hair got all messed up, Rem.” Jae laughed again, reaching over with his free hand to fix it as the ride was coming to a stop. “Anyways, was a good thing we didn’t eat that cotton candy before coming up here. I feel kinda dizzy.” Waiting for the fair’s employee to come help and lift the security bar for them, Jaehyun got up after he did, waiting for Remi to follow and then guiding them away. “Are you okay? Where should we go next?”

     remi spends a little too long fixing up his hair even after jae has stepped in to sort it out, tousling fingers through it and flicking his chin to arrange his bangs. he’s meticulous about his appearance to a fault, even when he’s just in the company of his best friend. with a pout, he keeps at it until they’re walking away from the ride. “i’m a little queasy myself -- rhys abandoned me by the food stands sorta near where you found me. i was tempted but i resisted!” he links their arms together, leaning against his friend’s taller frame for a bit of support. “hmmm, games? i haven’t gotten the chance to waste money and embarrass myself failing at carnival games yet. you’re probably going to have all the luck but that’s okay because we both know you’ll give me the prize at the end, right?” he flutters his lashes deliberately, fixing a smile over at jaehyun. the games also have the added bonus of giving them something to focus on as opposed to talking about recent happenings.

[dixnysian]

jaaehyunism‌ || jaehyun.

Jaehyun’s expression softened as he heard his best friend’s reply, a sigh leaving his lips. “Aw, baby. I can understand that but you gotta move on at some point, you know?” The model said softly, resting his head on Remi’s shoulder for a moment.  “Oh yeah, I definitely know that. But I think you’re supposed to go through bad relationships in life so they’d teach you to really appreaciate it when you finally get into a nice one.” Jae frowned at hearing what Remi said next,  in his opinion anyone else would be better than his best friend’s ex. “Of course you are! Do I need to remind you of what he did to you? I know that you’re in a complicated situation right now and you and Rhys can’t stand each other but I can guarantee that he’d never hurt you.” He said sincerely, Jaehyun was sure of that.  “Well, that’s good! You never know when you’ll need to pretend to be a happy couple again. Have you guys decided on a reason to ask for divorce yet? I think you’ll need to have one.” Laughing softly at hearing his best friend’s next comment, Jae shook his head. “That sounded like a compliment.” He teased. As they were momentarily separated and Remi didn’t give him many details, Jae just sent him a look to let his best friend know he’d let it go for now but they’d talk about it again later. “Alright, alright. Way to crush my hopes and dreams.” Jae sighed dramatically. As the roller coaster train started moving, the model got a bit nervous, they had a long climb to the top before it dropped and he was already dreading it. “If I close my eyes you can’t make fun of me, okay?” Jae asked, gripping tightly on Remi’s hand as the roller coaster finally descended and then went on a really fast curve. 

     for reasons he doesn’t want to unpack -- neither to himself nor to jaehyun -- talking about his impending divorce has bile rising in his stomach in much the same way as talking about his ex had done. it feels like every aspect of remi’s life is spiraling out of control. the easily accessible metaphor comparing it to the coaster they’ve just boarded is not at all lost on him. jae’s grip on his hand is tightening by the second, bordering on painful by the time they near the top of the climb. “jae!” remi accuses in a squeaky voice. “why are we on this ride if we’re both scared?” anything else he has left to say gets swallowed by a high pitched scream, returning the death hold on his friend’s hand as they head down the first real drop of the coaster. his other hand locks around the lap bar as his body jolts around within the coaster cart. hills and dips, curves and climbs, the ride would almost be impressively thrilling if remi weren’t so worried about being thrown out of it. his job may prepare him for heights and some level of risk-taking but it doesn’t include the awful mechanical clatter of a train leaning practically off the tracks. somewhere after a jolting turn, remi’s fear turns to fun or, at least, a healthy balance of both. his screams are half-laughs though he still clutches to jae for dear life, only loosening his fingers when the coaster train starts to slow.

[dixnysian]

solardvsts‌ || rhys. 

         rhys  could  really  never  imagine  himself  in  a  situation  where  he’d  be  helping  make  remi’s  ex  jealous .  he  never  liked  to  get  involved  in  relationship  matters .  relationships  were  too  ..  complicated  for  him  and  he  thought  it  was  best  to  stay  away  from  things  like  that ,  but ,  once  again ,  he   was  in  a  situation  that  was  way  out  of  the  norm  for  him  because  of  remi .  it’s  always  because  of  remi .  the  thought  was  childish ,  but  he  couldn’t  think  of  any  other  time  that  he  was  doing  something  like  this  without  remi  somehow  being  involved .  still ,  the  moment  that  remi’s  hand  was  in  his ,  he  laced  their  fingers  together  and  held  on  to  it  in  the  way  that  he  would’ve  if  they  were  actually  a  couple .  unlike  when  the  show  was  for  his  parents ,  rhys  followed  remi’s  lead  and  let  himself  be  tugged  towards  a  nearby  stall .  a  grumble  was  at  the  tip  of  his  tongue ,  but  he  held  it  in .  the  moment  he  felt  remi’s  head  against  his  arm ,  his  body  tensed  up  slightly .  even  though  they  had  already  done  the  fake  couple  show  once  before ,  he  still  wasn’t  used  to  the  actually  body  contact  that  came  with  it .  he  did  his  best  to  relax  more ,  a  smile  spreading  across  his  face  that  he  hoped  would  make  up  for  the  slight  hiccup  on  his  part . “ hmm ,  i’m  getting  pretty  hungry .  i’m  thinking  we  could  find  somewhere  to  eat  and  just  relax  under  the  lights  of  all  the  rides ,  doesn’t  that  sound  nice ? ” he  asked ,  the  grin  still  plastered  on  his  face .  he  didn’t  know  where  it  was  coming  from  and  it  almost  felt  like  he  had  become  a  better  actor  since  the  dinner  with  his  parents .  rhys  then  looked  up  and  noticed  that  remi’s  ex  had  turned  and  was  facing  them .  there  was  a  split  second  where  he  swore  that  he  saw  his  gaze  flicker  towards  them .  just  seeing  his  face  made  something  snap  inside  rhys  and  before  he  even  realized  what  he  was  doing ,  he  grabbed  remi’s  face  and  leaned  down  to  press  their  lips  together .  surprised  at  his  own  actions ,  rhys  pulled  away  abruptly ,  but  not  enough  for  anyone  else  to  notice .  “ uh ,  let’s  go  get  food  now ,  honey . ”  and  then  it  was  his  turn  to  be  pulling  remi  towards  a  food  stall  that  was  further  away .  

     rhys is playing along, even if he hates it. and remi can tell that he hates it for the huffy way he’s breathing and the way his body goes rigid as remi tries to be cute and tactile, the way he would in an actual relationship. the way he was with the very same ex they’re trying to fool. that’s all well and good -- rhys doesn’t have to like it just so long as it looks like he does. remi doesn’t pull away, then, he just keeps up his half of the agreement. it’s not like he wants it any more than rhys does. “sounds really lovely,” he sighs wistfully. it’s doubtful that their voices carry over the noises of the carnival around them -- the screams from the coaster and the ecstatic giggles of sugar crazed children -- but remi is thorough. the smile he paints upon his lips to match is even borderline genuine -- they’re selling it enough to convince a few passersby and he can tell by the way people look at him. he’s so busy taking in the reactions in their immediate vicinity that he isn’t prepared for the kiss. not that he thinks he could be, even if he saw it coming. hands cradle his face gently, turning it up to meet rhys’. his lips are soft. the kiss lasts just long enough to make remi’s eyes flutter shut and his toes curl in his shoes. remi doesn’t remember kissing rhys -- not at their wedding (though jae is certain his has a picture of the liplock somewhere on his phone), nor during their initial hookup from much too long ago (there have been too many lips on his own since then). so they’re former lovers, current husbands, and remi feels like he’s tasting rhys for the first time. when they part, his hitched breath escapes his lungs in a surprised little gasp. there’s a beat where he processes and then his cheeks decide to betray him by tinting a noticeable shade of pink. it’ll all play into the act -- newlyweds sharing a private moment with the public and the smaller of the two getting immediately flustered. they don’t have to know that despite every other aspect of their relationship being faked, the blushing and the stammering are very much real. “mhm,” is all he can muster, clinging to rhys’ hands like he’s going to be left behind in that moment. he follows along with his gaze cast to the ground. he never once looks back towards his ex, the unwanted presence all but forgotten in the wake of the kiss. it’s only when they’re a safe distance away that a still-flushed remi whisper-asks, “what was that?”

[dixnysian]

solardvsts‌ || rhys.

          “ you  first , ”  came  the  reply  that  sounded  more  like  a  petulant  child  arguing  with  a  schoolmate  that  someone  fighting  with  their  husband ,  but  he  couldn’t  bite  it  back .  “ i’ll  go  pick  on  someone  my  own  size  when  you  do  too .  it’s  not  like  you  don’t  pick  on  me  too . ”  he  was  completely  baffled  by  the  fact  that  remi  was  trying  to  put  the  blame  on  him ,  like  he  was  the  only  one  that  would  start  arguments  for  almost  no  reason .  rhys  still  remembered  the  complaints  that  came  from  remi  the  moment  that  he  saw  his  huge ( and  very  comfortable )  bed  that  were  unnecessary .  and  with  that ,  rhys  had  kind  of  just  given  up  on  the  idea  that  they’d  go  the  rest  of  the  ride  with  no  arguing .  he  was  also  internally begging  for  the  ride  to  be  over  so  that  he  could  go  and  do  something  else .  “ me ?  i’d  never  cheat .  i’d  also  never  get  into  a  relationship  in  the  first  place  and  maybe  he  should  take  notes . ”  his  words  sounded  a  bit  bitter  and  he  wasn’t  sure  if  it  was  because  of  the  topic  at  hand ,  the  fact  that  he  was  still  on  the  ride  with  remi ,  or  something  else  that  he  couldn’t  put  a  name  on .  “ you  using  me  of  all  people  to  make  someone  jealous ?  i  have  to  be  dreaming .  i’d  never  in  a  million  years  have  thought  that  you’d  admit  to  anyone  that  wasn’t  jae  that  you  married  me . ”  rhys  sat  there  in  shock  at  the  revelation .  remi  seemed  so  adamant  on  hating  him  that  he  couldn’t  believe  that  he’d  put  that  aside  to  make  his  ex  jealous .  it  was  the  next  set  of  words  from  remi  that  had  him  shaking  his  head  in  protest  as  soon  as  he  registered  them .  “ my  parents  believed  it  because  they  saw  what  they  wanted  to  see .  we  weren’t  exactly  doing  the  best  job . ”  he  was  so  firmly  set  on  denying  remi’s  plea ,  but  he  really  got  him  with  the  mention  of  owing  him .  remi  didn’t  have  to  fake  it  for  his  parents  and  he  still  did ,  and  so  it  only  made  sense  if  he  the  same .  “ fine .  i  highly  doubt  he’s  going  to  believe  it ,  but  whatever . ”   a  sigh  left  his  lips  as  he  grumbled  under  his  breath .  as  if  the  ride  had  been  waiting  for  his  answer ,  it  finally  stopped  after  he  spoke  the  words .  it  didn’t  take  long  for  the  attendant  to  get  to  them  and  help  them  both  of .  “ let’s  go  then ,  i  guess , ”  he  mumbled ,  extending  a  hand  towards  remi  so  that  he  could  take  it .  

     throughout their bickering (because for them, the few harsh exchanges were actually too tame to be considered a proper fight), remi makes mental notes. he wants to ask jae about rhys’ dating history, first and foremost. had he really not been in any relationships or was that an exaggeration to make remi’s comparison more ill-placed? he doesn’t exactly believe rhys would cheat -- not every pretty boy is a self-important douchebag -- but it surprises him that rhys sounds so adamant in his protests. there’s something driving his tone, making him more agitated and defensive. remi can’t really figure it out but he allows rhys his little victory with a terse nod.  “the local gossip column wrote about our marriage,” he huffs in explanation. “my ex already heard it from there and then asked me about it -- i had two choices and i went with the one that would make me seem less... hung up on him still. he really fucked me up and i wasn’t going to give him that power over this too -- something that has absolutely nothing to do with him.” remi’s not sure if he’s prepared to beg but, for the last few rotations of the ride, it seems like he’s going to have to. some part of him can’t even blame rhys which is frustrating -- he doesn’t want to pretend any more than his husband. but then he’s being allowed a clipped agreement and remi’s heart gives a squeeze of relief. “only until he’s out of sight,” remi nods a little too frantically and as he’s hopping up from the seat, he’s sliding his hand into rhys’. his fingers feel tiny and incredibly short as he laces them through rhys’, but definitely snug and secure in his grip. they fall into step, side-by-side, and remi half guides, half tugs him towards a stall. he lights up his own features with a smile every time he happens to catch rhys’ profile in his sight. this husband thing isn’t that hard. “are you hungry?” he coos, shuffling closer and tentatively leaning his head against rhys’ upper arm. “or do you wanna play games?” the squeeze to the hand he’s holding says ‘please don’t push me away, i think he’s watching’.

[dixnysian]

solardvsts‌ || rhys.

         “ you  know  you’re  just  giving  me  ammo ,  right ?  like  i’m  just  gonna  be  calling  you  short  from  now  on  because  you  told  me  that ,”  he  snickered ,  a  very  obvious  mischievous  glimmer  in  his  eye .  he  was  already  planning  on  how  to  use  that  information  against  remi .  perhaps  when  he  really  got  on  his  nerves ,  he’d  point  out  his  shorter  height  just  to  gain  some  leverage  in  the  never-ending  war  between  him  and  his  husband .  then  he’d  remind  remi  that  he  only  had  himself  to  blame  for  telling  him  mentioning  his  shorter  stature  when  it  was  something  rhys  had  never  thought  too  much  about .  “ says  the  drama  queen  himself , ”  he  retorted ,  a  roll  of  his  eyes  in  remi’s  direction .  if  there  was  one  thing  he  wouldn’t  let  the  other  call  him  out  on  it  would  definitely  be  his  sometimes  overly  dramatic  nature .  remi  had  to  be  the  most  dramatic  person  rhys  had  ever  been  around  and  that  was  a  lot  to  say  since  he  had  to  be  with  himself  and  he  was  dramatic  as  well .  the  only  reason  they  got  into  arguments  most  of  the  time  was  because  remi  would  blow  things  out  of  proportion  or  criticize  everything  that  rhys  did  or  offered .  take  out  the  dramatics  and  maybe ,  just  maybe ,  they  would  have  more  civil  conversations  .  as  he  listened  to  the  other  explain  his  relationship  with  the  person  that  he  had  been  glaring  at ,  rhys  stayed  silent  for  once  .  there’s  a  feeling  within  him ,  once  he  doesn’t  want  to  feel  and  that  he’s  afraid  of  even  naming .  “ when  a  cheater  puts  the  blame  on  the  person  that  they  cheated  on ,  it  kind  of  just  screams ‘asshole’  to  me , ”  he  finally  said  after  a  pause .  he  didn’t  even  know  why  he  was  chiming  in  since  that  was  technically  none  of  his  business ,  but  he  also  felt  the  need  to .  at  the  next  set  of  words ,  rhys  raised  an  inquiring  brow  and  turned  towards  him .  “ why  didn’t  you  just  tell  him  the  truth ?  i  mean ,  that  would  be  much  easier  to  believe  than  us  being  happily  married . ”  he  then  shrugged  slightly  and  settled  back  into  his  seat  and  looked  straight  ahead .   “ the  ride’s  almost  over .  guess  you’re  gonna  have  to  find  a  way  for  him  not  to  see  you  because  it  doesn’t  look  like  he’s  going  anywhere . ”

     “don’t be an asshole,” remi groans, knowing fully well that it was likely an ingrained part of rhys’ personality traits and could not be helped. they would surely have worked through all their disagreements by now if rhys weren’t so inherently frustrating and argumentative. “if all you have to win an argument is that you’re taller than me, that’s just sad. pick on someone your own size like a proper playground bully, would you?” he’s just getting defensive because he knows rhys is right, on some level. by admitting to what he does and doesn’t like to be called, he’s practically handed the taunts into rhys’ repertoire and he has no one to blame but himself. remi makes a note not to ramble around the enemy. he doesn’t make a comment about being called out on his own dramatics. there’s nothing to say in his own defense -- he knows he tends to exaggerate but at least he owns up to it. he definitely doesn’t speak in the hyperboles rhys has demonstrated today and so he rests easy in the knowledge that yes, he may be dramatic but at least he’s better at it. besides, by this point, he’s too busy shooting glaring daggers at his ex to really bother with rhys anymore. it’s like there’s only room in his heart to burn with hatred for one boy at a time and, currently, the space is occupied by the very same boy who broke it, who broke him. “yeah, well -- takes one to know one, i guess. i, on the other hand, didn’t recognize that about him until it was obviously too late.” his frown deepens. “i didn’t want him to have the last laugh. it’s bad enough i let myself get cheated on and now i land myself an accidental husband i can’t even count among my friends? he’d get a kick out of that and i’d look utterly pathetic. besides, i wanted him to be jealous.” even now, his chest is aching with the conflict of wanting his ex to leave and wanting him to turn around and see him. they may not be the picture of marital bliss but at least he’s here with rhys. they’re together which is already a step towards pretending to be actually husbands. that springs the idea to remi’s mind and just as suddenly as he’d locked gazes with his former flame, he whirls back towards rhys, eyes wide and pleading.  “your parents seemed to be thoroughly convinced,” he points out airily, paying strict attention to how the wheel is slowing down, letting off the seats in front of them.  “all you’d need to do is hold my hand and look like you’d rather not burst into flames just long enough for him to see us. we don’t even have to talk -- just do this for me please.” his pulse has kicked into overdrive but the proposition is out there and remi’s running with it. “you owe me -- for your parents. i faked it for you, can’t you do the same?” it’s their chair next and remi’s lower lip juts out in a final convincing pout.