(𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝟏𝟗𝟗𝟕)
The sound of knocking reverberated through Thomas' flat.
Guy man was setting down some snacks on the coffee table, then making sure his hair was in place, by pushing it to the side.
Thomas ran from the kitchen to the door, mentally preparing himself for not only the way she would be acting around him, but the way guy man would feel when he confessed and she didn't reciprocate the feelings.
Opening the door, natalie appeared. She had curled her hair slightly, despite this meeting being pretty casual. she wore a denim skirt and a tank top.
"Hey.." Thomas said smiling a bit. He opened the door fully allowing her to walk in.
As she walked in, she smiled shyly and pushed some hair behind her ear. " Hey.. it's nice to see you again Thomas. I forgot how cute...-" natalie then stopped mid sentence.
Thomas raised his eyebrows slightly, closing the door, feeling the back of his neck.
"Your place is..." she said walking down the hall.
Thomas sighed in relief. Of course.. she would say that.. and not that she thought he was cute.
She walked into the living room and guy man walked to her. Embracing him in a friendly hug, guy man hugged her back
"You smell.. really nice." Guy man said quietly to her, then pulling away.
Natalie took this as being platonic and so laughed a bit. "Thanks.. it's actually a new perfume."
thomas then followed behind and sat on the couch, popping some popcorn in his mouth from the snacks guy man put on the coffee table.
As Thomas sat down, Natalie followed and sat next to him, holding her rented movie up with an amused smile.
As guy man also sat down , on the other side of Thomas, he looked at the movie.
"Top.. gun?" Guy man said raising his eyebrows.
"Yeah.. I'm a big fan of this movie. What about you... thomas?." she said, now looking at Thomas with a slight smirk.
"Y-yeah!.. top gun. awesome movie." Thomas replied - his expression reading someone who was trying to cover a frown with an uncomfortable smile.
Thomas shifted a bit uncomfortably on the couch then subtly, to guy man, gestured his head towards Natalie as if to say "sit next to her instead."
And so, as Thomas took top gun and knelt by the tv to put it in, guy man shifted his body closer to Natalie on the couch.
As guy man moved towards her on the couch, he felt his stomach twisting and turning. Could be really confess tonight? If felt so daunting.
"Guy man.. are you okay?.." Natalie said, noticing guy man's forced smile plastered on his face
"Yeah.. yes. Why- why wouldn't I.. be?" He said, with a laugh, then itching the back of his head.
"No.. you .. just.. nevermind." Natalie said dismissively waving her hand. She pat guy man's back.
Guy man bit the inside of his mouth as she did that. Then nervously sighed.
Thomas had inserted the movie and now and heaved himself back on the couch, sitting beside guy man, and as he reached for the remote on the coffee table, Natalie leaned forward a bit.
"Thomas.. come sit next to me!.." she said, with an enticing smile.
As he held the remote his eyebrows briefly furrowed - then noticing guy man's hopeful expression shook his head a bit.
"I-I'm okay here.. more space..for my legs to stretch out you know?.." he said trying to sound as if his mind wasn't in tangles from this whole night and situation.
"Oh... okay.." Natalie said leaning back again on the couch, with a frown.
Thomas reached over and turned the light off. he then started the movie.
Now, it was just Thomas , guyman and Natalie in a dark living room watching a movie they rented. Oh no.
Natalie began reaching for some of the popcorn and then popped some in her mouth as she watched.
Guy man next to her felt his heart pounding louder.. and louder. His hands were beginning to sweat. "Okay ill.. just tell her.. I like her.. and that I.. no I'll ask her out!.." his mind was racing with multiple scenarios that could play out when he confessed.
" what if she doesn't like me?.. what if I look bad?." As his thoughts raced, the only sound to comfort him was that of top gun on the tv.
Thomas next to guy man was trying to concentrate on the movie too, but felt an urge inside of him, an obligation as guy man's best friend, to tell him that she wasn't interested in him before it was too late.
But he couldn't just pull him aside during the movie, not when Natalie was right here. And so...
Thomas swallowed his fear and subtly leaned over to guy man.
"Guy man.." he said quietly, his nervousness seeping through his voice.
Guy man, reluctantly pulling his eyes away from the tv screen looked to Thomas.
"What?." He said, trying to downplay his anxiousness about having to come clean about his emotions towards Natalie.
"I- I really have to tell you something.." thomas uttered.
"W-what is it?.." guy man said raising an eyebrow slightly.
"Natalie doesn't-"
Silence.
Natalie placed the remote back down on the coffee table after pausing the movie.
"Are you boys okay?" She said leaning forward to glance over at Thomas and guy man.
Thomas' eyes widened and then he exclaimed, turning away from guy man quickly.
"Yes! Yes.. I was just telling guy man about how-"
Guy man turned to Natalie.
"How much I wanted to tell you.. something." Guy man said, with an anxious smile.
"Noo! No.." thomas thought.
Thomas awkwardly nodded his head, then placing a hand on his chin. His chest felt heavy with guilt now.
"Tell me something?.." Natalie inquired, smiling a bit. She looked to Thomas, then fixing her hair. She then looked to guy man.
"Is it bad?." She asked.
"No!.. no. I mean.. it's .. good..?" Guy man said nodding his head a bit.
"Im - im just going to the bathroom quickly.. and I'll tell you when im back." Guy man said, picking himself up off the couch.
He then wiped his hands on his shirt and scurried over to the bathroom. He felt dizzy with nervousness and felt as if his heart was rising in his throat.
He locked himself in the bathroom, trying to prepare what he was going to say and fix his hair. He had to look alright.. and had to appear completely unfazed. But he couldn't when Natalie would be right there.. and.. she could reject him. Or worse!.. run out after he confessed.
"Come on.. guyman.. I know you can do this..." he said, staring at himself in the bathrooms mirror.
——— ☆
As Natalie watched guy man nervously scurry away like a hermit crab, thomas briefly covered his eyes and exhaled uneasily.
Natalie shifted next to Thomas.
"I do kind of have to tell you something before all of this.. you know.. before guy man tells me something."
Thomas lifted his guilt heavy head and faced Natalie. Oh no. This was it. This.. had to be it.
"I.. kind of um.." Natalie's cheeks slowly faded into a rosy colour and she nervously fiddled with her hands.
"Yes?.." Thomas said , forcing a clueless tone of voice.
He felt his heart rate quicken. He felt his breathing picking up. He couldn't handle the ridicule. She clearly had no idea that guy man liked her, and that Thomas didn't.
"I.. like someone." She said quietly.
Thomas was barely able to nod his head. "O-okay.." he muttered.
Natalie took a deep breath in.
——- ♡︎
Guy man now was able to maintain a level of control over his nervousness. He nodded his head and then exhaled slowly.
"I can do this. it's just Natalie." He affirmed to himself.
He reached for the bathrooms door knob and then as he was leaving the bathroom, heard Natalie and Thomas talking.
He walked down the dark halls and before entering the living room, stopped behind the corner curiously.
" Okay.. close your eyes." Natalie said from the living room.
Guy man's eyebrows raised slightly. Close your eyes?..
Thomas reluctantly shut his eyes. He felt his chest constrict with hesitation and he felt as if the fate of guy man and his friendship purely lay in Natalie's hands at the minute.