#angrymechanics

[These hcs involve; two idiots accidentally orbiting each other for months before either of them realizes what's happening.]

Early Stage: Eclipse's Denial

Eclipse would absolutely be the type to convince himself that he doesn't like Solar. Not because he doesn't have feelings, but because admitting feelings means admitting vulnerability.

So instead his internal thought process becomes:

"I don't want to see Solar." *Immediately goes to Solar's house.*

"I'm only here because I'm bored." *Uses Solar's coffee machine.*

"This isn't his couch anymore." *Falls asleep on Solar's couch.*

Meanwhile Solar is sitting there wondering:

"Does he hate me?"

"Is he lonely?"

"Is this a threat?"

"Why is he eating my snacks?"

For a while Solar genuinely believes Eclipse is just being annoying on purpose.

Solar Slowly Catching Feelings

The dangerous part is that Solar pays attention.

A lot.

He notices Eclipse always chooses the same spot on the couch. He notices Eclipse likes a specific mug but refuses to admit it. He notices Eclipse shows up more often when he's had a bad day. He notices Eclipse gets quieter when he's tired.

And once Solar starts noticing those little details, that's basically the beginning of the end. Because Solar is thoughtful enough that those observations slowly become affection.

The Sketchbook

The sketchbook idea I have feels extremely Solar. (And if it's just canon that he draws and writes *cough* anyways) Not because he's trying to be creepy. More because drawing is how he processes emotions.

The sketchbook would start innocently: Eclipse sleeping on the couch, Eclipse stealing coffee, Eclipse looking annoyed, or/and Eclipse arguing with somebody.

Then eventually entire pages become: Expressions Solar finds interesting, Random moments Solar doesn't want to forget, Notes about conversations, And Tiny observations. Etc

Stuff like:

"Pretends not to care but stayed three hours helping."

"Claims he hates this coffee."

"Drank three cups."

And no. The lock isn't there because the drawings are embarrassing. The lock is there because Solar would rather launch himself into the sun than let Eclipse find out.

Yet

Eclipse Finds Out

The funniest possibility is Eclipse accidentally discovering the sketchbook.

Not by snooping.

Just by being Eclipse.

Solar leaves the room for thirty seconds.

Thirty. Seconds.

And Eclipse immediately touches something he shouldn't.

Then he opens the sketchbook expecting: inventions, calculations, or/and work notes.

And instead finds; hundreds. of pages. of himself.

The realization would hit Eclipse like a truck.

Because suddenly all those weird little moments Solar remembered weren't random.

Solar was paying attention. Yet Eclipse is so delulu that he yet again convinces himself he saw

N o t h I n g.

How They'd Actually End Up Together:

Neither of them confesses properly.

They're both terrible at it for different reasons.

Solar overthinks.

Eclipse refuses to think.

Eventually someone else probably gets tired of watching them dance around each other and points it out. Something like: "You two spend more time together than actual couples."

And both immediately respond: "WHAT?" At the exact same time.

After that, things become awkward for about a week. Then somehow they end up right back where they started:

* Eclipse showing up uninvited.

* Solar making extra coffee.

* Both pretending this is normal.

Except now neither of them has a good excuse anymore.

The funniest part of the AU is that everyone else would figure it out months before they do. Solar would be quietly filling sketchbooks, Eclipse would practically be living in Solar's house, and the rest of the cast would just be standing there like:

"They're dating."

"They don't know they're dating."

"But they're definitely dating."