Just Bros Being Bros

by DualSoul1423

Chapter 3

When Flash arrived at Timber’s apartment just a few minutes before six o’clock, he wasn’t sure what to expect. Last week after seeing the new Daring Do movie together, Timber insisted that Flash drop by for a “surprise.” He hadn’t bothered to explain what it was, he just gave Flash a time and address. So when Flash rang the doorbell, he was ready for anything, but was somehow still surprised when Timber answered the door wearing an apron.

“Flash! It’s good to see you again, man. Happy you’re here!” Timber stepped aside to let his friend in before closing the door behind him.

“It’s always good to see you, Timber. I’m excited for this surprise you-” Flash’s train of thought was interrupted by the wafting aroma of whatever Timber was currently cooking. Flash was no chef, but the scents that were dancing in the air right now managed to completely gobsmack him with how good they smelled. His enchantment was clear on his face, and Timber couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Well, I think that’s a good sign if anything. Here’s hoping my cooking tastes as good as it smells… Speaking of which, I think I need to drain the pasta. Take off your shoes, make yourself at home.” Timber retreated back towards the kitchen area on the other side of the room as Flash shook off his daze.

Following instruction and leaving his shoes by the door, Flash explored Timber’s apartment for the first time. Similar in size and layout to Sunset’s old apartment, the most immediately noticeable difference between the two would be that Timber’s home actually came equipped with a kitchen which seemed to be getting plenty of use at the moment. Timber appeared to be in a flurry, managing several appliances at once as he prepared whatever it was he was making for the two of them. Nearby was a small table and a pair of chairs, which was already set with utensils and glasses of water.

Looking around the apartment, Flash took a moment to appreciate the numerous decorations that gave a sort of homely feeling to the otherwise pragmatic living space. Photos of family and landscapes hung from the walls, likely to serve as a reminder of the camp that Timber had grown up in, many miles from here. Flash smiled at the sight of a tiny Timber and Gloriosa posing for a picture with their parents, despite feeling a small sorrow knowing that he would never get to meet them.

Across the room from the bathroom was a large bookshelf brimming with well-worn but surprisingly dustless tomes. Standing tall and proud in between the apartment’s two windows, it was flanked by a comfortable-looking armchair that seemed to have seen as much use as the books. Checking the collection, Flash was quite pleased to find that several of the books he was familiar with, even though most of them were foreign to him. He made a mental note of several titles that seemed interesting to him, knowing that he’d probably like any books that Timber did.

Tucked against the wall by the bed was a modest TV complete with a DVD player, both of which were resting atop a small shelf with wheels that would allow the TV to be re-angled as necessary. Below the TV and DVD player was a minor collection of movies, and when Flash crouched down to examine the boxes, a quick glance among them revealed that the majority of Timber’s films were in fact romcoms.

“I knew you were a sap, but I didn’t think it was this bad,” joked Flash as he stood back up. “You’ve got more romance than anything else.”

Speaking over the clanging of kitchenware, Timber replied with “What? You got something against a guy in touch with his feminine side?”

“No, not at all. It’s just that you’ve told me lots about your favourite scifi and fantasy movies, but you never mentioned liking romance this much.”

Looking at Flash over the kitchen’s divider, Timber shrugged with an innocent smile. “Didn’t think you were into it, and I didn’t want to come across as being totally whipped, so I guess I avoided the subject a bit. Maybe I can show you a few sometime.”

“I can’t say romance was ever my favourite genre, but I’m definitely not opposed to the thought. Maybe I’ll get to see what a normal relationship is supposed to look like.” Putting a hand on his chin, Flash added, “You know, I never really thought about it before, but isn’t it kinda weird that both girls I’ve ever tried dating turned out to be ponies from a parallel dimension?”

Timber laughed aloud as he plated the food, shaking his head. “I dunno, it sounds like you’ve got a type, dude. I feel bad for any girl who falls for you that doesn’t have hooves.”

Crossing his arms, Flash directed an indignant pout towards his friend. “Hey, it’s not like they were advertising the fact that they were ponies from a parallel dimension. I don’t exactly go looking for magic horse girls to date.” Despite trying to sound offended, Flash couldn’t help but smirk at the absurdity of his love life.

In turn, Timber allowed himself another small laugh as he brought the dishes to the small table, gesturing for Flash to join him. “I know, man. I’m only joking. Instead of focusing on your weird obsession with equines, how about we focus on this awesome meal I just cooked for us?”

Flash playfully cuffed Timber before sitting down, taking a moment to appreciate the meal before him. In a sleek-looking white bowl was a hearty-looking serving of pasta, meat, red sauce, and a few chopped vegetables. Breathing deeply, Flash felt his mood immediately lighten as he was once again overwhelmed by the scent of the food in front of him.

Completely forgetting about the teasing from a moment ago, Flash grinned happily at Timber. “Wow… This smells amazing, and I don’t even know what it is. Forget pony magic, what were you doing in that kitchen?”

Timber waved a dismissive hand while trying to hide his blush with the other. “It’s just beef ragu. You’re always buying things for me, and so I wanted to give back a little, you know? I’ve always been a pretty good cook, so I figured that I’d treat you to a meal today.” When Flash just continued to stare in awe, Timber gestured for him to begin. “Well come on, then! Try it, tell me what you think.”

Excitedly, Flash scooped up the fork beside his plate, and got his first taste of the delectable dinner in front of him. As he chewed, he couldn’t help but sigh in bliss as the flavours threatened to overwhelm him, and by the time he had finished his first bite, he felt like he was floating.

“Dude… What’s in this stuff? I’ve never had beef ragu before, but I’m willing to bet it’s not usually this good.” Without waiting for a response, he was already scooping more of the ragu into his mouth, feeling completely enamoured with the dish.

Embarrassed, Timber ran his fingers through his hair. “It’s nothing really, all things considered it’s a pretty simple dish. Beef, onions, carrots, garlic, and a splash of wine, among other things. The catch is just that it takes forever to make, but I figured it would be worth it. Looks like it was.”

Flash raised a curious eyebrow as he finished another mouthful. “That sounds expensive, I hope you didn’t pull out all the stops for me tonight. I can pay you for the ingredients, if you-”

“No way, not gonna happen,” interrupted Timber with a stern tone in his voice, “I’m treating you tonight, remember? Just let me have this.”

Shrugging, Flash continued to eat, with Timber finally joining once he was sure Flash wasn’t going to counter. For the next several minutes, the two ate in relative silence, occasionally glancing at each other, but generally focusing on their food. It was only when both plates were empty that the two finally spoke again.

“Wow… That was amazing, dude,” said Flash with a smile as he happily patted his stomach. “I’m learning a lot about you today. You’re not just a huge nerd, you’re also a total sap and a great cook. You’re gonna make some girl really happy someday.”

“Well until then, you’re just gonna have to put up with me and my good cooking.” Timber and Flash shared a chortle together, but the former’s smile didn’t last long past that. Flash couldn’t help but notice his friend’s somber expression, after another short moment of quiet, broke the silence.

“Hey man, can I ask you something? And can you be totally honest with me here?”

Perking up to attention, Timber straightened his back and gave a small smile. “Yeah, of course. What’s up, man? Is something up?”

Flash furrowed his brow as he spoke slowly, trying his best not to sound accusatory. “This isn’t about just paying me back, is it? Because I’m pretty sure we’re a candlestick away from a romantic dinner here. Is this a date?”

Timber didn’t say anything for several achingly long seconds, long enough for Flash to have his answer. Still, he waited patiently to hear what his friend was going to say. The two just stared at each other from across the table quietly, until finally Timber responded, his lips turned up in a half-embarrassed, half-hopeful smile.

“I guess it could be, if you want it to be. I guess I haven’t really been subtle tonight, have I?”

Flash chuckled, shaking his head. “Tonight? More like the past month, dude. You were taking so long to say something, I thought I was imagining it.”

Timber shrugged weakly, saying “You never mentioned being into guys, so I kept it to myself. I’ve been meaning to bring it up, but I kept losing my nerve every time we’d hang out. I was gonna come clean tonight, but you figured me out before I could say it.”

Flash shrugged back at his friend, grinning reassuringly as he spoke. “All things considered, it’s been a pretty great date so far. I just wish you had told me sooner, maybe I could have brought some chocolate or something.”

Timber blinked a few times, a confused look on his face. “Wait, are you saying that you… feel the same?”

Beaming brightly, Flash leaned in on the table, resting his chin on his hand before saying, “Yeah, I think I’m willing to give this a try… Unless you’d rather we just stay best bros?”

Timber sighed, letting the tension finally release from his chest. He thought about all the fun he’d had with Flash the past few months, and the welling feelings that had been growing the last few weeks. His thoughts drifted to all the future might hold for the two of them, and finally a small smile found its way onto his own lips.

“I don’t see why we can’t do both. Best bros can date, can’t they?”

Flash laughed in response as his cheeks turned warm. “Yeah, I think I can live with that.” He paused, before continuing with, “So what comes after the romantic dinner? I’m guessing you had more planned for tonight than just that.”

Timber nodded meekly in admission. “Yeah, I guess I was hoping I could get you to stay for a movie, maybe.”

“Hmm… But what would we possibly watch?” inquired Flash, as he mockingly stroked his chin, “If only you had a collection of sappy romcoms that would be perfect for this situation.”

Timber rolled his eyes as he stood up and made his way over to his TV stand, with Flash following him. “Yeah, yeah, I get it. You know that not all romance movies are sappy.”

“I know, but I also like teasing you,” replied Flash as he playfully sneered down at his friend.

Timber lightly punched Flash in the shoulder before choosing a DVD and loading it into the player. As he turned on the TV, he had a realization. “Wait, where should we sit for this? I guess we can pull over the chairs from the table, but-”

Before he could finish speaking, Flash flopped down onto Timber’s bed before patting it invitingly. “I was actually thinking we could just lay on your bed. It’s pretty comfy, and looks big enough for us both.”

With an expression somewhere between impressed and flustered, Timber didn’t bother to say anything in response. Instead, after reorienting the TV to face his bed, he climbed in beside Flash, who immediately wrapped an arm around him and pulled him close.

Timber couldn’t even remember what happened during the movie, or what movie he even played for them. He was far too occupied with listening to Flash’s steady heartbeat as he laid his head on his new boyfriend’s chest.

Comments

[RubyDubious]

What I'm learning as I continue to read is that this is a fic that answers 'yes' to the questions: "Can a story make me scream every chapter?" and "Oh my goodness, can my heart soar higher than this?"

Being a jock in high school myself, I'm very partial to the dude-bro camaraderie that these two have, but I'm most partial to how they gell and blend with one another. The sparks that fly between them could light a fire that rivals a minute of sunlight. I read the descriptions of Timber cooking for Flash, and my mind wanders to what they must've done in the days before and how thick Timber is laying flirting on, and how naturally Flash returns it. I read of Timber wearing an apron, and owning a DVD collection of romances and I think about how he must've been watching them over the past few weeks and thinking about Flash. I read all of this and think of all of this and I find it all to be authentic, and I find your writing to be extremely charming and immaculate. I find in my stomach the world's population of butterflies, and I find my mouth sore from smiling at this story.

In short, this story is pogchampion, and I though I think I cannot praise it any higher, I'm sure the next two chapters will prove me wrong, and give me new ways in which to adore it!