Stupid games

Forte hadn't seen Arlo since the encounter in the hallways, for someone so distinctive in appearance he could disappear surprisingly well. Did Arlo let himself be found countless times then?

Did he want to be found, albeit accidentally?

Arlo did pretty much own the agency at this point so it wouldn't surprise Forte. But now that accidental privilege has been swept away from him, instead of running into the top idol he is now left with nothing but brief glances of white hair if he was lucky.

"I said no, I meant it."

He knows that voice, that quiet note laced with something else. He can almost smell the vanilla scent that loves to cling so dearly to his person.

"If we're the only agency not laying any of our idols off, the mud balls from other companies who don't want to be fired will pour in! It doesn't matter if we have enough money at the moment if all our idols are crap!"

The irritation coming from Arlo is palpable, even his sweet vanilla scent does nothing to disperse the tension in the air. Clearly this is something that he doesn't want to discuss at the moment, or ever really.

"Yes, so lay off other idols but leave him alone."

"Playing favourites aren't we?"

Forte can feel the low hiss that comes from Arlo as he leaves, maybe it's for the better that he did before he resorted to tearing whomever he was talking to a new one.

Running to catch up with the unpredictable feline Forte starts to cry, he's so close, it won't be fair if Arlo escapes him now again. Catching ahold of his shirt sleeve Forte tightens his grip to stop Arlo escaping again.

"Forte? Let me go I've got stuff to do."

That stuff can wait, after everything, you can't pretend like you don't know him, that's not fair.

"You... You can't just kiss someone and then disappear for a month!"

Arlo lets out a gentle sigh, and brings his free hand up to wipe away the tears that have come to gather under Forte's eyes, he looked far better when he was smiling. Though this isn't the time nor place for this discussion, far too dangerous out here.

Catching ahold of the hand keeping his trapped he leads Forte out of the hallways, they should go somewhere far more private. It's too risky outside after all, he's already hurting Forte's chance to bloom already, selfish creature that he is. Closing the door to one of his more personal rooms Arlo sighs gently.

"Look, I did wrong, I know that, I shouldn't have kissed you, I'm sorry. But you don't like me do you? Even now I notice that little tremor in your hands, the refusal to look me in the eye, so I'm trying to do what's best for you."

Arlo admits this in a quiet tone as he extends a hand forwards to tidy up the hair that's out of place, pulling away when satisfied, his ears then flatten as he continues.

"Given that you hate me, please don't kiss me; it tends to give people the wrong idea."

Forte's eyes flick upwards, focusing on the piercings in Arlo's left ear instead of his face, for if Forte would take a moment to genuinely study his counterpart's face he'd see a gentleness there reserved for his eyes only.

"You're the one who hates me aren't you..? It's only fair that I'd be nervous."

It wouldn't be a totally inaccurate to say that Arlo's stomach drops at that, he's so used to biting remarks nowadays. It's easier that way too, hurt before you can be hurt yourself. So when he reaches his hand up to push Forte's hair out of the way it's a foreign feeling to be this gentle with something.

"I don't hate you, nor have I ever hated you. You're very precious to me, so precious that I'm afraid of hurting you again."

It's with this gently whispered statement that Arlo places a gentle kiss on Forte's forehead, not daring to go any lower than that, too afraid to go lower than that.

"I'm a filthy queer selfishly wanting what he can't have. Why do you think only one person ever picked on you in Highschool?"

His hands move down to hug Forte closer to himself and rests his forehead against Forte's own. This is all an unfamiliar feeling to Arlo, but it's a nice feeling. What would it be like to have this everyday? Is he evil for wanting it like how everyone seems to tell him he is?

He's responsible for so much hurt in Forte's life, so why he's given the time of day is still a mystery he's attempting to solve. How much trouble is he actually worth considering that he was lucky not to be thrown out. 

Pulling away for a moment he scribbles something down on a bit of paper and pushes it into Forte's hands. Yes, it's selfish to want more, it's selfish to take when he doesn't deserve any of it.

"In my opinion you should look for someone better instead of getting hung up on me."

And with that he retreats, leaving nothing behind but that little scrap of paper in Forte's hands. Starting to cry Forte unfolds the paper to reveal the message scrawled in Arlo's favoured vanilla scented pen ink.

Hey, here's my number if you need to contact me, it's my personal number. Don't go giving this out to other idols yeah? I don't need two business numbers.