These bitches gay asf

Seti was nowhere to be seen at the trial. Grand thought of waking him, but he didnt want to bother him after what happened at dawn. He walked down the hallway until he stopped at room 15. He hesitated for a moment before he knocked loudly on Seti’s door.

“Seti! Wake up man! You slept through the trial.”

It stayed quiet for a moment, until the sound of rustling sheets came from within, stumbling feet echoed from behind followed by a low, groggy groan. The door creaked open just a slit until it fully opened to reveal Seti, bleary-eyed and hair askew. He squinted at Grand, blinking several times in the stark light from the hallway. "Oh fuck." He said, rustling his dark hair with both hands. "Just- fill me in on what happened in 30 seconds."

He took a step back and sighed. Seti had just slept all through the trial. He fiddled with the dogtags around his neck and stared at him with a mixture of disappointment and amusement. The trial was nothing intense, and he hadn’t contributed much to it at all. He tapped his chin and recalled what happened.

“We hung Safranin. He was the Serial Killer. Now there's six of us and five mafi-a members. I cant believe you slept through the whole day.”

He sighed deeply.

"I... actually. One less thing to worry about for me." Seti slurred, running a hand through his tousled hair. He leaned against the door frame, yawning wide before rubbing his eyes.

He pursed his lips. Seti would have slept through the whole damn day if he hadn't woken him up. He brushed through his bangs with his hands, and suddenly remembered how tired he was. He hadn't slept at all last night and it weighed down on him. He looked above his head into his room.

“Can I come in? I don't have much to do right now.”

Seti thought for a moment, before shrugging. "Sure, why not?" He moved aside, making room for Grand to enter. The room was mostly organized, well, more like unchanged. There's the luggage in the corner of the room, unpacked. The bed was not made, sheets strewn about in a disorderly fashion, evidence of his sudden awakening. A small nightstand with a half-empty bottle of water was the only item that gave a hint of habitation.

He looked around in surprise. His room was definitely clean, even if it was just untouched. It was a stark contrast to his room, where he had carelessly placed all of his items wherever he found comfortable. Plus, he had almost run out of clothes that were unstained with coffee. Of course Seti’s room would be clean, he had nothing to worry about. He let out a frustrated huff. How had Seti stayed sane through all this? He naturally headed into the messiest part of the room, and sat down on the very corner of his bed.

“Your room is so clean. You would drag me if you saw mine.”

He laughed. He gave no acknowledgment of what had happened at dawn. He didn't want Seti to storm off again.

"How many things did you pack in your luggage for that?" Seti asked, raising an eyebrow. He closed the door and stood there, leaning against it casually. "I thought you'd only need the essentials."

The little jab caused him to huff in exasperation. He had packed only the essentials, just clothes and his phone and whatnot. But he still found them piling up more and more each day. He twirled his dogtags in his fingers and tried to think of a joke. Weird, usually they came naturally to him.

“Maybe the murderer’ll trip over all my clothes when they come in to kill me. Speaking of clothes, nice pajamas.”

He took note of his outfit for once. He knew he dressed fancy, but did he have to have a fancy outfit for every occasion? Who was he trying to impress? But he wasn't one to judge. Seti dressed better than he ever could.

Seti looked down at his silk pajamas. They weren't floral or anything extravagant, just a simple navy blue with thin white pinstripes. He smoothed out the front of his top. "Wearing comfortable clothes to bed is also an essential, I think." He said, his voice almost teasing. "If them tripping over clothes worked what's to say I couldn't just stay up and blocked the door all day?" 

They were still extravagant to him. He doubted he even owned any clothes as expensive as silk pajamas. 

"All of my clothes are comfortable! I've never exactly paid attention to what I wear."

He chuckled at Seti’s suggestion. 

“Well, clearly you have a hard time staying up, considering the little nap you just took.”

He didn't mention Seti’s height. His stature was definitely *not* stopping any murderers, even if he put his back into it. Of course he didn't mention that. Seti would put him in a chokehold. Looking at Seti’s hair, an idea came over him.

“You know I know how to do hair, right? Always made me some extra money while I was in the army. I could impress a poor amish with the way I braid.”

Grand laughed softly. He didn't directly suggest anything, but it was obvious. He was staring very intently at his hair. Usually he only did his daughters, but it was nowhere near as long as Seti’s.

"I don't always sleep through important things, you know." He huffed before tilting his head his head to the side He raised a brow as he ran a hand through the long strands. "What, you want to braid my hair?" He asked, as though the idea amused him. He strokes his chin thoughtfully, peeking up at him from the corner of his eye.

"Well," he mused, "I guess I won't mind." He shrugged, settling down on the bed cross-legged. “Just don't pull too hard."

He grinned at his approval. He would have preferred the bathroom, but at one point he had resorted to doing hair in the trenches. This was nothing he couldnt do. He didnt hesitate for a moment more before he opened his bag and took out his brush.

“I won't, I promise. I've brushed mats out of hair, this is nothing new.”

Seti’s hair was already neat, it was just a matter of brushing out the knots from his nap. He worked with surprising tenderness at Seti’s request.

“Do you have anything specific in mind?”

Despite him asking, he had already gotten to work, carefully sectioning his hair to braid it.

"Um not really." Seti said, his tone light as he leaned back to give him better access to his hair. "Just do whatever makes sense. I don't usually style my hair in any particular way anyway." He picked at his hands as he spoke, his movements slow due to the sensation of fingers carefully working through his hair. He found it calming, not exactly familiar though, it honestly made him feel a little vulnerable.

He nodded. He fell quiet now, his full concentration was on braiding Seti’s hair. His hair was longer than anything he had ever worked with, but he was determined to make it look nice. He had decided on something already, just a singular French braid. He didn't want to do something too extravagant on hair as long as Seti’s.

“You take good care of your hair.”

He hummed, a little comment before he fell quiet once more.

The braid took him longer than he wanted to admit to finish. Subconsciously, he had wanted to impress Seti, so he worked meticulously to make sure no strand was out of place. He pulled his fingers back, and realized they were aching. He shook it off and smiled.

“I'm done-!”

At the statement, Seti shifted slightly, reaching back to run his fingers over the newly created braid. It felt secure yet comfortable, not pulling on his scalp like he feared it might have. He was surprisingly impressed.

"It's very neat," he complimented, glancing around to meet his gaze. 

At the compliment, he let out a breath he didnt know he was holding. A compliment from Seti was more than he had ever expected, and for some reason it left him almost nervous. He was painfully aware that his face burned and he sputtered out,

“Thanks! It was fun- Your hair’s softer than I expected it to be.”

He chuckled.

Seti's eyes lit up with amusement, his fingers tracing the pattern of his braided hair. "Surprised?" he chuckled, the sound carrying a hint of playfulness."I take great care of my hair, can't say the same for those generic three-in-one soap bottles you probably use," he teased.

He couldn't find it in him to tease him back. He knew Seti had realized that he was flustered. How embarrassing. He was laughing at Seti at dawn, and now he was going through the same thing. His voice was practically a whimper.

“Its not-“

Suddenly, the ceiling seemed to be very interesting to him. It was all he had his gaze fixed on.

Seti's laughter echoed through the room, and he playfully nudged Grand's shoulder. "Flustered over some hair, huh?" Seti joked, his fist lightly tapping on his friend's tense shoulder. Seti folded his legs and propped his head up with one hand, still grinning as he teased him about his sudden distraction. "Its not what? What's so captivating about the ceiling?"

He let out a shaky breath and forced himself to look down at Seti. It was all that kiss’ fault. He couldn't believe he had feelings for the jellyfish of all people. The touch caused him to jump and he inhaled again.

“I use normal shampoo and normal conditioner. And I just looked up there for a few moments. What're you getting at, Seti?”

He chuckled nervously. It was a painfully obvious lie, but he wasnt going to admit it.

Seti's eyes flickered with mischief as he spoke, his lips curved in a playful grin. "You can say whatever you want to say, there's no need to defend yourself," Seti responded. His playful tone dwindled for a moment and he let out a sigh. "Can I touch your hair?" He asked. Was this revenge for what happened earlier during the day? Maybe. He wouldn't deny it.

He was breathing heavily, and his head spun. He shook his head, which only disoriented him more.

“I don't have anything to say! I don't know what you're implying-“

The question and his sudden tone change caught him off guard.

“You can touch my hair, sure. But its definitely not as soft as yours.”

He found himself leaning forwards slightly to allow Seti to touch him.

Seti's hand hesitated for a moment before he slowly stretched it out towards him. His fingers drifted through the hair, easily parting the strands as he brushed a loose lock of hair from Grand's face. His fingertips lingered for a moment, brushing lightly against Grand's forehead before trailing down, briefly grazing his cheek before coming to rest on Grand's shoulder. "It feels just fine," he assured, his voice dropping to a whisper.

Seti left his hand there, on Grand’s shoulder, a smile on his lips. He seemed to be studying him.

He was left speechless. His gaze flickered from his hand, back to Seti, then back to his hand again. He couldnt look at him. Was Seti just messing with him? His face burned and he he could feel himself sweating. He grasped the blanket, the rest of his body was stiff. 

“I just think- That kiss- It was the kiss’ fault. I didn't mean for it to be anything more, but-“

He sputtered. He glanced at Seti for a brief moment. He was still staring at him. He gritted his teeth.

Seti's eyes widened slightly in surprise at Grand's statement, and he tilted his head, an amused half-smile dancing on his lips. "Oh, so the kiss was to blame?" His voice was a soft tease, but his eyes held an intense curiosity. He quickly retracted his hand and scooted a distance away, giving Grand some breathing room. "Uh sorry if I overstepped," Seti murmured, averting his gaze as he dusted off imaginary lint from his clothes.

“No- No, you didn't.”

He nearly reached out to hold Seti, but he quickly decided against it. He looked dumbly at Seti before he spoke again.

“Seti, God-! I think I have feelings for you, or something..”

He let his voice trail off. He was fully aware he was confessing to a man he had just met two days ago. But tomorrow wasnt promised; He might as well have said it sooner. With his words, the embarrassment fully set in and he looked back up at the ceiling.

Seti stared blankly at Grand, taking his time to register what he had just confessed. He clenched his teeth for a moment, calculating and considering. Then he breathed out slowly, his eyes dropping to his lap as he gathered himself. "How?" He questioned, his mind reeling from Grand's confession. "How could you possibly have feelings in such a short time?"

He covered his face with his hand, mostly out of shock than anything else.

He took a long while to consider. He wasnt sure, either. He looked back down cluelessly to see that Seti had covered his face. He had definitely overstepped.

“I don't know either, okay? Maybe it was before that stupid kiss, I don't know!”

His voice was shaky with desperation. He was talking a mile a minute.

“But like you said, if were both going to die here, I thought I might as well say it. I dont know!”

He was panting from how quickly he was talking.

“Maybe you can die knowing someone loved you, and *I* can die knowing that I wont grieve over my husband forever. I dont know-!”

Seti, still shielding his face, remained silent for a long while. His mind was racing, trying to process Grand's confession and the ensuing implications. Slowly he lowered his hand from his face, his eyes meeting Grand's in a silent gaze. The raw, poignant desperation was nearly enough to make him forget his own uncertainty.

He gulped before speaking again. "I wouldn't mind dying knowing that," he said, his voice barely a whisper. "But are you sure? Can you be sure?" Seti questioned again, his brows furrowing in concern. He was very hesitant to simply accept it as anything substantial, not that he had been heart broken or anything before, but the weight of Grand's confession was not lost on him. Or maybe he should just stop overthinking and accept it. He was dying anyway, wasn't he? Whatever, he'll just get an answer first.

“Of course I'm sure!”

He was panting from the spiel, dazed, and tired, but he spoke with certainty.

“I wouldn't just go- Kissing men in the bathroom if I didn't have feelings for them. I've never been that kind of guy.”

He sighed deeply after he had caught his breath fully. He raised a hand to move his bangs out of the way. Seti was just flirting with him. Why was he so dazed now? Despite having a husband, he was completely inexperienced with relationships. Pierce had been his one and only. He thought this was how this all worked. He wondered if he had just fucked everything up. He hoped he didn't.

“I don't know how to prove it to you, but I'm sure.”

It was a lot to process, he didn't even know why he was making such a big deal about it. Maybe he just wasn't experienced enough. Maybe it was the out-of-nowhere confession that unsettled him, he couldn't really tell. "Maybe that's enough," Seti finally said. Torn between what to do, he continued, "If you say you're sure, then I'll take your word for it." He looked at Grand, the hesitance that was once dominant now took a step back.

“Where do we go from here?" He asked, folding his arms as his face carried a look of genuine curiosity.

The question caused Grands brows to furrow again. He confessed, now what? He chewed on the inside of his lip. He thought for a few seconds, but he couldn't come to a conclusive answer.

“I don't know.”

He admitted. He had teased Seti for his inexperience earlier. Looks like he was the same. He laughed at the absurdity of it all.

“I don't know. How do you feel? I don't know where we’ll go from here if we don't know what we are.”

Even if he did know what they were, he still wouldnt be able to come to a decisive answer.

Seti's eyebrows shot up in surprise, and he paused for a moment to gather his thoughts. "I don't know," Seti began on a low note, mirroring Grands words. Seti let out a long breath into the stillness of the room, his gaze dropping to where their shadows overlapped on the floor. "I don't really know what I feel right now. No, more like I don't understand. I can't make out what I'm feeling," he admitted, his tone tinged with mild frustration as he rubbed his face, feeling warm and somewhat flushed. "Sorry, I'm not usually this...confused."

As Seti looked down, Grand looked up. He nodded in understanding, even if Seti couldn't see it. This was exactly how he had confessed before, sputtering the words out before he thought twice. And this was exactly how Pierce had reacted, with the same shocked silence. He shifted on the bed as the realized he had made the same mistake twice. How embarrassing.

“I understand.”

The room was silent for a long moment before he spoke again.

“I'm sorry. I hope I didn't ruin things between us.”

"You haven't ruined anything," Seti reassured him, glancing up from the complex mosaic their shadows had formed on the floor. "This...is just new territory for me, I guess. Makes my head spin a bit, that's all."

Seti tried to shake off the unease, shaking his head slightly before looking back up at Grand with an uncertain frown. His heart pounded in his chest, the feeling of adrenaline lingering, making him feel slightly shaky. He had never been in quite such a situation before, and it left him feeling exposed. Eventually, he just shook his head in an attempt to clear his mind, his hair flapping about his face.

"Whatever!" he finished, hastily trying to cover up his inner turmoil with a veneer of nonchalance. "Just do whatever you want." 

He watched Seti shake his head. He kept looking even as he looked back up at him. It took everything in him to not stare at something else. Seti had reassured him but he was almost certain that he had made a mistake. 

“I'm sorry, Seti.”

He repeated his apology again, quieter. He never expected Seti to react this way. He hoped it soothed him in a way, but it had done the exact opposite.

“..Do whatever I want?”

The request confused him, and he smiled slightly. He had just watched Seti stress over his confession, and now he wanted to leave him confused, too? In the quiet room, he swore he could hear his own heart beat in his chest. He would have preferred it if he laughed in his face and asked him to leave. But this confused him too. He chuckled nervously.

“What're you asking me to do?”

"I don't know. What do you want to do?" He asked, shrugging as he looked into Grand's eyes. "I feel like this is more about you than me, if that makes sense."

More about him? What did Seti want him to do? He groaned and ran his hand through his hair.

“I just confessed to you. I dont even know how you feel.”

Seti was thoroughly confusing him. He had just spilled his feelings to him, only to receive this as a response.

“I can't just tell you how to feel, man..”

He chuckled and studied Seti, trying to make out his expression.

"Well I wish you could," Seti responded, gritting his teeth in frustration. "Makes this whole thing a lot easier, don't you think?" He let out a long sigh and rubbed his temples, trying to ease the tension in his head. He took another moment to mull it through his head, wondering if silence was the best answer he could give. "Okay, let me get this straight. You confessed your feelings to me and I just say I like you." He fidgeted with his fingers. "And that's how I... accept it?"

“I'm not telling you how to do anything, man.”

He shook his head slowly before continuing on.

“We don't have to be anything more than friends. I thought it would help with your whole.. Thing about no one loving you.”

He spoke calmly, but his words were clearly laced with frustration. Seti had taken this almost too seriously. As much as rejection would hurt, whatever he was doing right now hurt him more.

“This isn’t something you have to stress over.”

Seti took a deep breath, not really sure what to say at all. It was like trying to piece together a puzzle with no picture to guide him. His mind was swirling with thoughts, all scrambled together. "I guess it isn't something to stress over. I'm sorry." he said, though his voice sounded strained. "I'm just a bit wrapped up in my own head." He shifted on the bed, letting his gaze wander around the room. He decided not to respond to the 'no one loving him' allegations for the moment. It seemed too weighty to tackle.

He sighed. The anger he had immediately disappeared. Now he felt guilty. He didn't want to pry, but more than anything wanted to understand how Seti felt. He started slowly.

“Don't apologize, man. I should be sorry.”

He let the apology hang unanswered in the air for a brief moment. He was debating on whether or not he should pry. If they were both going to die like Seti had planned, he might as well. His voice shifted, as soft as he could manage it.

“What do you mean you're ‘wrapped up in your own head?’”

"I just don't really understand," Seti admitted. "or how I'm supposed to react." He ran a hand through his hair, a habit he found himself doing when he was particularly stressed or confused. "I think..." He paused. "I think I'm not sure how to handle someone else's emotions, or even my own."

His voice was barely more than a whisper. His fingers clenched around the cool fabric of the bed sheet as he tried to formulate his thoughts. "God- this is so boring. You probably wanted to do something exciting this evening, right? Not sit here listening to me try to psychoanalyze myself." He chuckled at this, though there was a sharp edge to his voice.

He nodded. He didn’t understand, of course. Other people’s emotions were all he thought about. He could read people easily, it was always a skill he prided himself in. Although with Seti, it was a little more difficult. Maybe it was the denial of rejection. Of course, he wasn’t going to tell him that he didn’t understand.

“I understand.”

He listened to him carefully, and then shook his head. He had practically come barging into Seti’s room. It was nice to hear him talk about something that wasn’t dying. As embarrassing as it was, him on his bed and pleading for answers, he couldn’t think of anywhere he’d rather be. At least he was having a conversation.

“No, I don’t. Really. I came here to talk to you. Tell me what you think- I’ll listen.”

He reassured him, a slight smile on his face.

Seti sighed, feeling a bit embarrassed by his rambling thoughts. He had never been one for emotional transparency, always choosing to hide behind a facade of cool indifference. "Yeah, well..." He shrugged, "You're weird." Seti's voice broke through the silence, "You're the first person who's willing to hear my nonsense," Seti continued, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. He turned away from the sympathetic gaze and focused on the floor beneath. 

"There's not much to say, really. I kinda wish I had been born something else, something... easier." His voice was heavy. He fell silent, his eyes distant.

He chuckled, leaning back in case it was the space, or rather lack of, that made Seti uncomfortable. It wasn’t nonsense, he was sure. 

“Im sure its not nonsense, man. Im always here to listen.”

His words mirrored his thoughts.

Upon hearing his words, his brows raised slightly. Seti hadnt told him much about being a jellyfish, but he had thought it difficult. Family was one of the things he held in the highest regard. He nodded again.

“I understand. I know you've hardly told me anything, but sounds like you've been through a lot.”

After a pause, he spoke again.

“Tell me more, if you'd like. I don't know much about how your species works.”

Seti hummed, contemplating the invitation to open up further. "Well," he began, his voice as distant as his gaze, "For one, I live about a maximum of forty years. And that's if I'm lucky. Surviving to that age is rare, since usually growing that old doesn't even have any survival benefits." He paused, his fingers absent-mindedly tracing patterns on the sheets. "I'm sure there's worse lifespans out there, but I wish I had more time, you know?"

Forty years? That was hardly half of the lifespan of a human. He tried to not show the shock on his face. If Seti saw that he was surprised, he didn't want it to get to his head. He kept his expression blank. It hurt to think about too much.

“I do. You have the full right to be upset- I understand completely.”

As much as he could hide it on his face, he couldn't do the same with his voice. It shook with worry. He didn't know how old Seti was now, but the cruise was only for passengers that were eighteen or older. So, already halfway then? He grasped the sheets tighter.

"Another thing," Seti continued, seemingly oblivious to the dismay growing within the human, "is that being a jellyfish is... it's just lonely in general. I don't have any families or many friends. We are mostly solitary, usually swimming in the vast ocean alone. I guess that's what makes this conversation so strange for me. The concept of 'together' isn't... foreign, just harder to learn and comprehend. I mean, if it's just completely foreign to me why would I come with the intention of making connections?" His voice trailed off as he stared unseeingly at the room around him, his thoughts clearly vast depths away. Lost in his own musings.

He nodded, now painfully aware of the weight of his confession. He had thought it was Seti’s way of rejecting him, was he truly just confused? He definitely thought the confession was a mistake now. Surely the jellyfish hadnt boarded with the plan to confess to someone. He swallowed hard and his face felt warm. He continued again.

“I know I was overstepping. Again, Im sorry. I understand why you felt that way when I confessed.”

He took a breath before he spoke again.

“I really think its not as foreign to you as you say it is. I like talking to you, man.”

He chuckled.

"Enough for you to confess to me on the second day of meeting, I suppose?" Seti's voice held a note of lightness, though his eyes remained distant. He shook his head, smiling a bit in his usual inscrutable way. "I'm not upset. Just... trying to understand, always."

He chuckled at the mention of it. It was enough to get him to confess on the second day. Or at least, the fear that one of them would die before he had the chance to say how he felt was enough.

“I guess so. Maybe its just easy to tell how I feel. Or maybe you just have lots of charisma.”

He laughed now. He couldn't help Seti understand, his feelings were too complicated. But he’d try anyways.

“I know. Its hard to pinpoint for me, too. And probably embarrassing if I get into it.”

Seti watched him silently, calmly, in that eerily patient way. "You don't have to," the jellyfish assured him. "It's not a requirement for you to explain." He paused for a moment, then added with a hint of warmth, "But I do appreciate your honesty." A slight smile played on his lips as he nervously looked around the room before meeting the man's gaze again. "Really." 

He smiled, definitely straining to make eye contact. Usually he wouldn't mind it, but Seti was completely unreadable. Somehow, it felt like he was playing tricks on him when he thanked him for his honesty. He hoped he had comforted him with his words regardless.

“Of course Id be honest. God, you're a little scary.”

He admitted with a nervous chuckle.

“But thank you for being honest, too. You know I'm here to listen..”

He nodded, thinking a bit before pointing to himself, tilting his head. "Me? Scary?" Seti raised an eyebrow, his gaze not wavering. He seemed genuinely taken aback by her statement, but his lips twitched upward slightly, revealing a hint of amusement.

He looked back at him to see that he was smiling. Had he amused him? It was still difficult to tell.

“Well, I think so. You're always so hard to read. And you put Apollo in a chokehold.”

He laughed at the memory. And then he stopped, nervous that he might do the same to him.

“I wish I could know you more, man. I really do. But I don't think you trust me enough for that, do you?”

His voice had a hint of hopefulness, like he wished Seti would start talking about himself again.

"Hm, right." He nodded, acknowledging the fact that he did put Apollo in a chokehold the day prior.

"Trust doesn't have much to do with what I'm saying. I could trauma dump to any stranger I meet, you know." Seti said, a bit of sarcasm mixing with the sincerity in his voice. He glanced away from the man, his gaze falling on a random point in the room as he carefully composed the rest of his thoughts. "More to know about me... There's not much more to know. I'm not as fascinating as you might think."

His brows shot up. He could trauma dump to any stranger? He seemed so secretive the day before.

“Really? So I guess Im not as special as I thought.”

His voice wasn't bitter or teasing, rather monotone and matter-of-fact. Although, he chuckled as he said it.

“And I'm sure there's a lot to know about you. What, don't you like talking about yourself?”

Seti looked around the room again, taking in the wallpaper and dusty furniture's, before returning his attention to Grand. "No," he said, a note of graveness in his voice interrupting the playful undercurrent of their conversation. "I suppose I don't." He scratched the back of his neck, a casual gesture that belied his discomfort.

"I guess I like cooking." He added, his fingers reaching out to absentmindedly trace the bed sheet's pattern. "And knitting."

His gaze clouded with worry. Had he made Seti uncomfortable? 

“I like hearing about you, man. You're too humble.”

He smiled listening to his hobbies. The thought of Seti cooking and knitting amused him, and he had nearly opened up his mouth to call it cute. He had enough wit not to, though.

“I didn't know you could knit. You don't give yourself enough credit. Can I see?”

He tilted his head. He spoke with genuine curiosity.

Seti looked puzzled, his eyebrows knitting when he asked to see his work. What did he mean by 'see'? Was he asking to actually observe him while knitting or was it request to view the fruits of his labor? Either way, Seti felt an unexpected warmth spread across his face at Grand's words. "I can show you a mushroom I knitted," he said, looking down at his fidgeting hands.

He reached over to the bedside table, and from a drawer, he pulled out a tiny knitted mushroom. The red cap of the mushroom was speckled with white spots, the stem cream-coloured. "It's kinda stupid, I know," Seti mumbled, handing it to Grand.

He nodded. He was asking to see the finished product, of course, but he could very well watch Seti knit too.

He inspected the knitted mushroom carefully, with wide eyes. He handled it tenderly and turned it once or twice to inspect the handiwork. It reminded him of when he’d braid hair; each knot tied carefully to the other. It had impressed him. He smiled at his words and shook his head.

“No, its not stupid at all. You're skilled, man. Don't put yourself down.”

Seti felt a sense of relief wash over him. Maybe he was proud of his little hobby after all. He glanced up from his hands, which had been twisting the sheet into nervous knots. "Uh, thanks. You can keep it." 

His eyes widened. Was he being serious? He looked down at the mushroom once more, and his thumb grazed over its knitted top. He looked back down at Seti, taking note of his hands. Was he nervous? He held the craft close to him, as if he were afraid it’d fall apart. He wished he had something to give to Seti.

“Really? Thank you-! This means a lot to me, you hardly understand. I’ll make sure it gets home safe. Are you.. Nervous?”

Seti immediately pulled his hands back from the bed sheets, bumping the bedside table in his haste. The lamp wobbled precariously before he managed to steady it. "No," he said, a bit too quickly. His gaze flickered momentarily to the lamp then back to Grand. "I'm not nervous."

Seti assured him, but it was too late. He grinned with the realization.

“What? Did you think I’d think it was stupid or something? Its impressive! You've definitely made me proud.”

He turned the mushroom over in his hands, this time looking down at the stem.

“I wish I could be you, honestly. You seem like you know what you're doing.”

He spoke generally. Seti was overall more put together than him, both hobby-wise and cleanliness-wise.

"Aren't you the one who was married and have a child? Sorry I keep bringing this up but you've built a family." He said, letting his gaze drift from the mushroom to Grand's face. "And what do you do as a job anyway? I'm just a cashier with a side hobby I hope you know." He placed a cold hand onto his face, mostly to counter the embarrassment that was slowly settling onto his cheeks again.

The question made his head spin. He had built a family, sure, but clearly he couldn't keep it together. His smile dropped and he chewed on his cheek. 

“I had a family. Things are a little rocky right now, with my husband gone and my daugher..”

He was eager to change the subject once the opportunity had been brought up. He interrupted his previous thoughts, forcing himself to smile.

“Being a cashier with a side hobby doesn't seem bad at all. I used to be the lieutenant of an army before I moved. Now I'm a private.”

Seti's eyes bulged at this revelation. "The fuck? You're more accomplished than me in every way! Lieutenant of an army? Private-" He had difficulty fathoming the gravity of that position. He stood up abruptly, driven by a sudden surge of curiosity and confusion.

"How old are you? I thought you'd be close to my age."

He tilted his head. It was no big deal. Where he was from, everyone had to serve in the army at some point in their lives. He wasnt accomplished, not at all.

“Its nothing big, really. I think I'm pretty close to your age. I'm about to turn nineteen.”

His brows furrowed at his expression. He spoke with genuine confusion.

“What? Why're you looking at me like that?”

"About to turn ninete- I'M ALMOST FOUR YEARS OLDER THAN YOU!" Seti blurted out, his face flushing with a mix of surprise and embarrassment. "NOTHING BIG!?" He echoed, gesticulating wildly towards Grand. "You were a lieutenant in the army, for God's sake! That's something big. Bigger than anything I've ever done- AND YOU'RE EIGHTEEN!? DO YOU GUYS EMPLOY CHILD SOLDIERS OR SOMETHING??" He started pacing around in disbelief.

He jumped at the sudden shift in Seti’s tone and volume. He laughed, using his hand to cover his mouth. He knew it was illegal anywhere else, but he wasnt aware it was such a big deal.

“Really, its not a big deal. My boyfriend at the time promoted me- I hardly worked for that role. I cant fight.”

His eyes moved from left to right, following Seti as he paced across the room. Employing child soldiers was exactly what had happened. He laughed as he imagined Seti’s reaction, then he spoke.

“We did employ child soldiers. I was eleven, so its been, what?”

He used the opportunity to count on his fingers.

“Seven years.”

Seti just stared at him in shock. Seven, years. He was enlisted at eleven years old? "I- " Seti stuttered, trying to process the information. God this guy is fucking crazy. He stopped his pacing, raking a hand through his bangs as he looked at Grand.

"I don't even know where to begin with this," Seti finally said, letting out a hollow laugh. "I don't know if I should be impressed or horrified." He couldn’t help but shake his head in disbelief, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

He frowned and watched Seti. He always brushed through his hair when he was anxious. It really wasn't a big deal to him, and he wasn't sure why it drew Seti’s attention so quickly. It was nicer when they talked about knitting. He hoped Seti didn't find him crazy. He let out a nervous chuckle before he continued.

“Well I hope you're impressed, at least! Why cant we talk about something nicer, like what *you* do? Like.. You know, what store you work at?”

He grinned hopefully. He hated talking about himself.

Something nicer. He supposed it'd be uncomfortable talking about this topic, and if he didn't want to, he'll respect that. He sighed and nodded. "Well, um, what I do isn't that impressive," Seti responded with a shrug, slowly regaining his composure. "I work at a bakery. Not exactly saving the world, but it pays the bills." He looked at Grand, still shocked from the revelation, but trying not to show it.

It wasnt a topic he was uncomfortable with, rather it made him feel narcissistic when he talked about himself. Seti worked at a bakery? That was the last thing he had expected. Maybe his job was to beat up the bread before they cooked it. Surely, that was it. 

“Aww- That's so cute- Sorry! Its adorable. Don't put me in a chokehold-“

He grinned. He just had to say it. Never in a million years would he have expected Seti to knit and work at a bakery.

Seti huffed, his brows furrowed in frustration, crossing his arms defensively. "What's so adorable about working in a bakery?" He scoffed. "It's not like I'm baking heart-shaped cookies or something." He looked down, the embarrassment plain on his face. "And I'm not gonna choke you. I'm not that aggressive despite what you think."

His eyes widened as he realized he had embarrassed Seti. He brought a hand up to his mouth in shock, and then quickly shook his head.

“No, Seti, man! I'm just teasing! And I don't think you're aggressive, not at all.”

In truth, learning about his hobbies and job only made him crush harder on Seti. But he wasn't about to tell him that.

“You're just so- I just thought it was-“

He struggled to find the words without confessing to him again. He couldnt find it, so he just muttered the truth.

“Its kind of attractive.. Sorry.”

He chuckled subtly.

Seti blinked, taken aback by the compliment. He hadn't expected that reaction - far from it. A flush crept up his neck and onto his cheeks. How many times had he blushed today? He shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "Thanks," he muttered. He wasn't sure how to react to the compliment, but it was hard to ignore.

He cleared his throat and glanced away, trying to regain some semblance of control over the conversation. "I just...you know, they offered a good medical plan and was near my house, so I took the job. Nothing more to it, really."

He nodded, but all he watched was his face flushing bright red. Was that compliment all it took for him to blush? He laughed internally. He listened to his reasoning, but it wouldnt change his mind. No matter what excuse Seti tried to give, the idea of him being a baker was adorable. He nodded.

“Right. Plus I cant cook for shit- I'm sure you're way more responsible than me.”

He laughed, and looked back at him. His face was still red, and he couldn't help but open his mouth.

“Your face is all red, man.. Did you not expect me to say that?”

A flicker of surprise and uncertainty crossed his face, causing him to glance at Grand with a hint of accusation. "No, I didn't." he said, trying to regain his composure. "Most people don't compliment me in such an odd way. It's... unusual." He tried to play it off with a chuckle, but the slight tremble in his voice gave him away.

"I'm not that responsible. I think you're just incompetent. And my face, it's, hot in here."

Usually the little jab would upset him. But looking at Seti’s flushed face, he only laughed. He grinned with the realization he had made Seti blush. It was a small feeling of victory from the desperation he had made him feel from the confession.

“Is it just hot in here? I think youre making excuses-“

He laughed, but suddenly stopped. Was he making Seti uncomfortable? He looked back up at him.

“..You don't mind it though, do you? Am I allowed to compliment you?”

He was about to retort, but hearing the second question, he paused. He looked at Grand, training his gaze on him, trying to discern something from his expression. 

It took him a moment, but his voice was quiet when he finally responded, "I don't mind." He bit the inside of his cheek, gaze diverting into the distance as he added, "You're allowed to."

Feeling his gaze on him, he felt his face growing hot. Was this how it felt when he studied people? Maybe it was just Seti. Surely when he did it, it wasnt as intimidating.

“Really-?”

With his permission, he laughed to himself. Seti would regret it.

“You know, I thought you'd get a lot of compliments- You're really pretty.”

He spoke freely now, his stupid grin plastered on his face like it was permanent.

That stupid face- He instinctively covered his face with one hand, while the other pressed against his chest as if to hide himself. "I-I don't think it's necessary to...emphasize," he stuttered, his voice muffled by his palm. He didn't think he'd react so strongly to compliments of all things. Well, it's not like he'd had many he could recall. "I look about the same as everyone else. On my planet anyway."

He kept going, like it was something he had pent up. And it was, he had been holding himself back for the past two days, something that took all of his self control. He didnt have much of it. He took his hand off of his face to smile at him. It was surprisingly easy to pry it off, Seti was not very strong.

“I think its perfectly necessary! And I don't care if everyone else on your planet looks identical; I only like you.”

"W-what?" Seti squeaked out. The blush from before had intensified to a burning sensation across his cheeks. The room seemed to grow even hotter, an uncomfortable humidity filling the air. He couldn't tell if it was his own body overheating or the atmosphere changing around him. His eyes darted around frantically, searching for a safe place to land, but every direction seemed filled with Grand's all-consuming presence.

In a feeble attempt to regain control of the situation, Seti stammered out, “Y-you’re teasing me, aren’t you? Hah."

“Like I said, I only like you! Youre so talented, and responsible, and-“

He had looked away while he began rambling, presumably to think of exactly why he only liked Seti. When his eyes trailed back to him, he suddenly cut off his sentence. Seti was *really* red now, something he had never seen on his pale skin. He sat in shocked silence for a very brief moment, and then he smiled again. He had only meant it platonically, but now that Seti was reacting this way, his tone of voice seemed to change. He started again, still absentmindedly “holding” his hand from when he had pried it off of his face.

“No, I'm not teasing! I'm dead serious, man. You can say you're just like everyone else, but you're not. And I only like you.”

Seti blinked. His heart pounded relentlessly against his chest, causing a brief moment of panic that he might actually be having a cardiac arrest. The room continued to spin around him, Grand’s words echoing in his head and leaving him in a dizzying haze. He stammered, trying to formulate words but all that came out were fragmented letters with no semblance of coherent speech. Instead, he could only squeeze Grand's hand.

For a brief moment, he wondered if Seti was actually dying. It seemed like he was, he swore he could hear his heartbeat in the quiet room. He waited for a few seconds, squeezing Seti’s hand, wondering if he would come to his senses. Clearly he wouldnt, and Grand hesitantly lifted him up by the waist to set him onto his bed.

“Are you okay, man..?”

Obviously he wasn't, but he felt inclined to ask. He sat beside him and leaned over to stare at him. What he said wasnt *that* bad, and he couldnt figure out what had Seti so flustered.

He was going to ignore the fact that he just got lifted up by the waist like a child. "I... I'm fine," Seti finally managed to speak. He honestly didn't know what to do next. Grand's words still echoed in his mind, 'I only like you'. Seti took a deep breath, trying to calm his erratic heartbeat.

He blurted out the words without fully understanding them himself. 

"I like you too." The weight of his own words hit him, and he couldn't help but question if it was the right thing to say. Was he being genuine? Did it sound genuine? But a relief washed over him, even if he wasn't sure what exactly he was feeling in that moment.

He swore he had just felt his heart skip a beat. Was Seti being serious? He turned to look at him again, but as always he couldnt decipher him. He felt his own face grow hot with Seti’s words. It took him a few seconds to remember how to speak, and he sputtered out the first thing he could manage.

“Really-?”

He exhaled. He didn't know what to do from here. This was what he had come here to do, so why was he still nervous? His hands grasped the sheets of the bed. He wanted to say something, but what if it made Seti change his mind? He kept quiet and stared at him with wide eyes.

"Uh, yeah. Really." Seti responded. "I'm not sure what to do next, or how to..." His voice trailed off, his mind at a loss. He stared at Grand, looking for some form of guidance.

Why was he looking at him? Grand had no clue either. The first thing him and Pierce had done was kiss, but they had already done that. 

“Well- I don't know either. Don't look at me..”

He chuckled nervously. He reached over and held his hand. Not exactly the boldest move, but it was all he could think to do in the moment.

Seti stared at their intertwined hands, a peculiar sensation of warmth radiating up his arm. He swallowed hard, aware that his throat had suddenly gone dry. "Okay. I won't." He replied softly, squeezing Grand's hand lightly in return, a silent affirmation of his words.

He looked down as well and smiled. He felt himself calm with a deep exhale. He wasnt sure if he should go on, or if it was too early for that. He swept Seti’s bangs out of the way. His forehead was still hot.

“So are we- You know.. Dating?”

He said the word softly, unsure if Seti wanted to call them that.

The touch to his forehead brought forward a shuddering breath from Seti, his eyes shut momentarily in response. "Dating..." Seti repeated, testing out the word. It felt strange on his tongue, foreign but not unpleasant.

"Yeah, sure," he finally answered, meeting Grand's gaze with a subtle softening of his eyes.

He gasped softly. He wasn't expecting him to say yes. He swept Seti’s hair out of his face, the soft texture foreign to him. He wasn't sure what to say or what to do, he knew he wasn't supposed to be too affectionate just three seconds into dating. 

“God, Seti, I don't know what to say- I love you.”

He muttered. He knew he wasn't supposed to say that, not yet, but it was difficult for him to keep his mouth shut. He looked down towards their hands again.

"Well, that was quick." Seti teased, a hint of laughter in his voice. "I love you too?" He added, a wry grin playing at the corners of his lips as he poked fun at Grand's quick confession. There was an amused sparkle in his eyes, but it was quickly replaced with a soft, sincere warmth. "It's okay, say whatever you want to say." He made a small gesture between them with his free hand.

He laughed and squeezed his hand again. He knew he couldnt just say whatever, and usually he wasnt like this. Maybe it was just the possibility of one of them dying that had made him confess so quickly.

“I know, I know. I need to keep my mouth shut.”

He was just about to get up again, but his gaze clouded with worry. He turned to Seti with newfound concern.

“Before I go- Do you know my role? I know I hinted at it, but I need to make sure you know it. It might cause trouble for us later on.”

"Town killing, right? I have a guess or two." He said, his eyes searching Grand's expression for confirmation. Well, he definitely couldn't tell Grand his role, blackmailed and all. He didn't like to think someone could hear them here but if that blackmailer somehow found dirt on him, he could only imagine the lengths they'd go to for an eavesdropped conversation.

A guess or two? That wasn't good enough. He needed Seti to be certain of his role. He was still very obviously concerned, he wasn't sure if Seti had pieced it together or not. Either way, he wasn't going to take any chances.

“Ill whisper it to you tomorrow, okay? I trust you.”

He nodded. "Alright." Seti agreed readily.

He let out a sigh of relief and smiled. He squeezed Seti’s hand one last time before he got up.

“Goodnight. Meet me sometime tomorrow!”

He hummed and waved him goodbye. He was out the door a few moments later.