The door swung open as Goth returned from another evening shift, jiggling the keys out of the lock before shutting it once more and flipping the deadbolt for the night. The living room was dark and void of life, which wasn't that unusual considering it was almost ten at night.
Slipping his coat off and hanging it in the closet, he caught sight of a soft glow of light from the doorway of Palette's room. He was still up, likely studying for that test he'd mentioned a week ago. The test was still a few days away from what the smaller recalled, but it was also on a topic his companion had been struggling with.
Creeping softly down the hallway, Goth peeked past the half-open door. Palette was hunched over his desk copying something from a book, the tip of his tongue sticking out with a look of intense concentration on his face. The smaller skeleton had to cover his mouth to keep from making any noise, though it did nothing to stop his grin or the butterflies in his non-existent stomach.
Since Palette had opened up about his own past three weeks ago, Goth felt something had changed between them and couldn't really see the taller skeleton as just a friend anymore. He wanted to always be there; making sure that smile never dimmed, and he didn't think he could go back to living alone again. Unfortunately, it was hard to tell if his roommate felt the same way since they acted more or less the same as before and he was afraid things would become awkward if he brought it up.
Right now, the artist already had enough to worry about without a potential relationship being added to the mix, so Goth would keep his feelings to himself.
As he stood in the doorway contemplating his roommate, Goth recalled the last test Palette had studied for. He'd spent a whole day studying in his room, not bothering to get up to eat or even stretch. The smaller had been forced to intervene when his roommate almost missed work because he'd been so focused. It was likely to be the same this time as well if the lack of lights in the rest of the house were any indication.
Tiptoeing toward the kitchen, he flicked the light on and filled the kettle with water, placing it on the stove. As he left it to heat up, he rummaged through the fridge for the leftover lasagna. Cutting off two pieces, he placed them on separate plates and popped one in the microwave.
Opening one of the cabinets, Goth pulled out one of the tea canisters and read the instructions. He recalled getting it because green tea was supposed to be good for studying and seemed perfect for Palette. It had been sitting unused in the cabinet since he got it, so a study session would be the best time for it.
The skeleton watched the microwave tick down as the water began to stream, opening it at the last second before the timer could sound. Goth set the plate on the counter and poured the water into a mug, adding the tea infuser in along with some sugar.
Letting the second plate of lasagna spin in the microwave, Goth carried Palette's plate and mug back down the hall, nudging the door open and calling out softly, "Palette?"
Predictably, his companion jumped despite the warning, swiveling in his chair and responding with a sigh, "It's just you... I didn't even hear you get home. You're really quiet, you know that?"
"While that's true, you were also pretty focused on your studies," Goth shrugged, entering the room and placing the tea and lasagna on the desk, "I figured you lost track of time again, so I decided to bring some lasagna and tea to help oolong."
"Oh stars, tea puns!" Palette laughed, donning a mischevious smile at the nod he received, "I think I could chai to come up with something., but they may not be the qualitea you're looking for."
Goth snorted, covering his mouth the stifle his own laughter, "I liked those, a double whammy. Have you... herb those before?"
"Thanks... and guilty as charged. I remember reading them in a book when I was younger, they stuck with me since mom always liked tea," the taller chuckled sheepish, rubbing the back of his skull and reaching for the mug. Looking in and giving it a sniff, he commented, "I don't recognize this scent, did we get something new?"
Goth took a seat on the bed, playing with the hem of his sleeve, "I'm surprised you could tell that quickly. It's a green tea blend I found at the store that reminded me of you."
"That's... that's really thoughtful, thank you," Palette beamed, soft color lighting up his cheeks as he took a sip, missing Goth's own blush. Swallowing the mouthful his eye sockets widened, "Wow, this one has some zip to it."
"I read that it helps with memory and concentration," Goth recalled, tracing the outline of the hole in his hand under his sleeves. Hearing a faint beep from the kitchen, the small skeleton stood up quickly, "That's my food, I'll leave you to your studying. Make sure you don't stay up too late, we still have work in the morning."
"Right, I'll see you bright and early. Thanks for the lasagna and tea," the artist said, turning back to his desk with a smile on his face.
"You're welcome, goodnight," Goth answered, leaving the room and shutting the door to give Palette his privacy. Once he was on the other side, he started bouncing on the balls of his feet down the hall, internally cheering that the taller had liked the tea.
It was definitely a good end to the day.
***
Word Count: 974