#custas

Whether it be because he is like him in some ways or something else, Tartah trusts Custas with things he wouldn't tell others. He doesn't give names or specifics, but he will talk about things bothering him-- not because he really expects Custas to be good with secrets, but because he's never doubted if Custas cares or is listening.

Custas' biggest struggle to win over Tartah is his relentless teasing: he'll take Tartah's notes and hide them (he did this with his cap once, but hasn't done it since because Tartah actually got pretty upset), points out every time Tartah says something minorly embarrassing or personal to poke fun, etc. In reality, Custas just wants his attention, but dials it back eventually when someone or Tartah himself points out the constant pestering in a negative way. He does feel bad about it, but he doesn't know what else to do instead.

Tartah, unfortunately, while disliking some of that behavior, finds some of it more endearing and funny than he lets on, and whenever he accidentally smiles it just encourages Custas to continue.

I feel like if they were asked about what they like about each other as people, Tartah would list things people may see as bad, but he means it in a good way: loud, overly excitable, a little pushy-- and Custas would just kind of blank face in thought before just saying "hes cool" and then proceeding to think about it for the next hour: not because its so hard to think of what he likes about Tartah, but he doesn't know what to highlight because he doesn't dislike anything about Tartah and thats Odd.

Custas who has no sense of personal space vs. only child Tartah who is minorly touchstarved and used to being respectful/hands to yourself/etc

Tartah remembers things Custas forgets; Custas notices things Tartah doesn't (about himself). Custas could forget the name of a medicine, but Tartah will always understand what he's trying to say. Custas will offhandedly say "Yeah but I won't let you try this because you are minorly allergic to blahblah" and Tartah just slowly looks up and is like.... Huh? and Custas just nods like Yeah last time you kept sneezing and had that redness on your hand like five hours later. And Tartah is floored because. Well. Yeah, guess he's allergic to that.

Tartah with a sixth sense for Custas about to knock things over by how expressive he is with his hands while he talks.

If Custas ever gives an offhand compliment, Tartah recalls it randomly for an embarrassing amount of time. He just hears it in the back of his head sometimes and gets flustered over it again.

If they ever start dating literally nothing changes besides Custas dialing back a Little on the teasing and Tartah becoming more relaxed with his personal space always being surrendered. They both are very cagey at first because neither is certain the other one likes them as much, but eventually they fall into routine and those thoughts no longer plague them

Custas 1000% tries to convince Tartah to travel with him when he gets better despite knowing Tartah would never come with him. It hurts a little, but he'll see him next year when he comes around again.