Julian looks at Asra like he hung the moon in the sky, like he's brighter than any star. And Nadia gets that, because she knows that she has the same look on her face whenever Asra laughs or directs a soft smile her way. Asra is their sun, and they're both helplessly caught up in his orbit.
tw: weed/alcohol mentions
Julian is just a little bit in love with Asra.
As Asra's girlfriend, Nadia knows she should mind - Julian's crush is more than obvious, and she's been dating Asra for more than a few years now, but it's honestly kind of cute. Everyone's just a little bit soft for Asra even if they don't mean to be, so Nadia isn't surprised that Julian has a crush on him. Asra likes to flirt, likes to tease, and Julian's always been weak for any kind of affection no matter how much he claims to hate it.
Nadia knows that Julian doesn't like her - not the way he likes Asra, and she's honestly okay with that. Because while there is (sometimes) respect in Julian's eyes when he looks at her, and he looks at Nadia like she's something beautiful, his gaze always passes onto the next thing that catches his attention. And more often than not, that something is Asra.
Julian looks at Asra like he hung the moon in the sky, like he's brighter than any star. And Nadia gets that, because she knows that she has the same look on her face whenever Asra laughs or directs a soft smile her way. Asra is their sun, and they're both helplessly caught up in his orbit.
"You're staring, Nadi. What's up?"
"I was just thinking about Julian," she replies, and it's not a lie, not technically. At the mention of their friend, Asra laughs, fond and endeared. He'd been sitting at his desk, but he closes the book he's reading to join Nadia in bed, curling up against her like always.
"What about Ilya?" She doesn't have to see his face to know that he's smiling - she can hear it in his voice. Julian always makes him smile.
Nadia just hums and, before Asra can nudge her, she begins to run her fingers through Asra's curls, fried from dye and still damp from the shower he just took. "What do you think of him?"
"I mean..." Asra shrugs, thinks for a moment. "He's a good classmate and a good friend. Works hard, studies more than he should-"
"He likes you," Nadia says, plain and simple. And Asra must not believe her, because one hand comes up to hide his smile and smother his laugh, and he shakes his head.
"No he doesn't, Nadi."
"He looks at you like you hung the stars, Asra. He likes you, trust me."
"So?" At that, Asra twists around to face Nadia, a cheshire smile on his lips and secrets in his eyes. "If Ilya likes me, he can do something about it himself."
"Julian may be many things, but bold in the pursuit of his affections..."
Asra laughs again before nodding in agreement. "Very true, Nadi. What do you suggest?"
"That, my dear, is up to you. It's you he likes, not me."
Asra is quiet for a long few moments, but then he twists around to look up at Nadia, mischief shining in his eyes. "Dearest, didn't you say you wanted to make brownies tomorrow?"
"Whatever are you planning?"
"Absolutely nothing," Asra says, kisses her quiet. "Nothing for you, anyway. Just Ilya."
Whatever Asra is planning can't be good, but as always, Nadia is helpless to agree with his whims.
When Friday comes, and the brownies have been made, Asra invites Julian over with innocence in his eyes and the sweet promise of weed and alcohol on his lips. He didn't need to try so hard - or at all, honestly - because an agreement spills from Julian's lips as soon as Asra says "do you want to come over," and Nadia hides a laugh behind her hand. Julian is head over heels in love with Asra, and it is the sweetest, silliest thing she has ever seen.
Friday night finds the three of them in the living room - Nadia sitting curled up in one of the loveseats and Asra and Julian curled up on the couch. They'd each had a brownie about an hour ago, and Asra springs up at the sound of the doorbell, coming back with a smile on his lips and two pizzas in his hands. When Asra mentions wanting another brownie, Nadia just scoffs, and when he pouts, all she does is raise a brow and point at the couch to make him sit.
"Ilya would let me," Asra whines, "wouldn't you?"
"Anything for you," Julian breathes. A blush scorches his cheeks, and he looks a bit nervously at Nadia, who consults her phone as if it is the most interesting thing in the room. But then Julian makes another strangled noise, and when Nadia glances over, she sees that her lovely, awful boyfriend has draped himself in Julian's lap, straddling him and pushing close.
"Ilya," Asra mumbles, and ah, Nadia sees now, what he had been planning. They both know how needy Julian gets when he's high, though nothing has ever happened, but tonight is going to change that, apparently.
Julian's hands flutter to rest on Asra's hips, and when Asra makes an encouraging noise, he holds him just a bit tighter.
"He likes it when you hold him tight. He won't break." Nadia encourages.
At the sound of her voice, Julian jumps, pushing Asra away and staring between them, eyes wide. Asra's gaze is only on Nadia though, and she can tell that he wants her to help, so-
Nadia stands, sitting on the other side of Julian and placing her hand on his thigh. "It's okay, Julian. I'm telling you it's okay."
Julian lets out a trembling, shuddering breath, and when his brows wrinkle, she laughs. "Julian, did you really think you could hide your crush from me? Maybe this idiot didn't know, but I could tell so, so easily." And almost absently, she adds, "I think it's cute."
This time, Asra holds out his hands for Julian, gesturing for him to come closer, to sit in his lap. "Ilya, please?"
But Julian doesn't move. And yes, Nadia could see how startling this must be, and Julian always has been a little slow, so-
Julian startles when Nadia pushes him gentle, but this time, when Asra gestures Julian clambers into his lap like he belongs there.
"Do you want to kiss him?" Nadia asks. She scoots a little closer, her knees pressing against Asra's, and she doesn't know if it's her proximity or the thought of kissing Asra that makes Julian shudder and nod.
And no sooner are the words ("You can, Julian,") out of her mouth that Julian leans in and kisses Asra, trembling, soft. Surprisingly so, for the amount of weed in the brownies, for how long Julian has liked Asra.
But the kiss - it's clumsy, just the soft brush of their lips against each other. When Asra pulls away, he looks so fondly at Julian that Nadia's heart clenches in her chest.
"I've...I've never..." Julian starts - leaves it open ended. Nadia melts.
"We'll teach you," she promises, leaning in to press her lips to Julian's neck. "Just be good and listen to me, okay?"
Julian nods, twists around to look at Nadia, eyes darting to her lips in a silent question, one that Nadia answers by kissing him, just as gentle as he'd kissed Asra. Julian's lips are chapped a little, but still soft, and Nadia can taste Asra's raspberry chapstick on his lips.
"I can taste your chapstick," she teases Asra when she pulls back. Her hand has fallen to Julian's thigh, maybe to ground him, maybe to ground them both, and Julian's attention is fully on Asra again.
"Please, can we...?"
Asra smiles, wide and lazy and unrestrained, and presses his answer to Julian's lips: the promise of everything.
